Harry Potter and the Year of Darkness
by Arcadia-of-the-East
Summary: They say that there is always a calm before the storm strikes. A sense of safty and love before a world gets turned upside down.... (part 2 of the Gretchen Saga)
1. Default Chapter Title

A/N: I own the new stuff. Sorry it took so long, I had a major case of writers block. For those of you who didn't read the "Harry Potter and the Deatheater's Daughter" series, I'll you who Gretchen is. She's a deatheater's daughter who transfered into Hogwarts during the fith years. She's very secrative, and though she isn't as shy as she was when we furst met her, she's not veyr trusting. If you like this series, I encourage you to read the last one. I'm afried that this isn't my striongest peice of writing, but trust me, it gets better.  


**Harry Potter and the Year of Darkness  
**

  
Part One: The Calm Before the Strom  
  
Boarding the train of the Hogwarts Express, Harry could see that the summer had changed everyone. Oh, Hermione looked like a sixteen year old girl now, and Ron's face no longer showed the awkward signs of boyhood, even Harry himself was taller, but the physical changes that occurred over the summer weren't the most important. It was the mental ones. Everyone grew up. That thing called childhood seemed to be over. Perhaps, for Harry, it had been gone a long time, and even longer had it been missing for Gretchen. But for Ron and Hermione, whose lives, though touched with some hardships, seemed sheltered somehow, this had been the end.  
The fifth year had been the end of a lot of things. It had been the end of Fred and George's school. It had been the end of childhood. Most importantly, it had been the end of Neville's life. Death changes people. For Harry, death had brought awareness. He knew that he wasn't safe anymore, even in Hogwarts. For Ron and Hermione in brought growing. For Gretchen, it brought change. Big change, though it took a while for anyone to notice.  
Harry looked over at his friends and events of last years dramas replayed in Harry's mind. The first was of Hermione slapping him. The second was of Ron helping Hermione run away from him. The their was of Harry hitting Ron. Then there were words.   
_"I knew that there was a chance of my death, of course, if I challenged him. For Dumbledore is a strong wizard, that I will never deny. I was about to go to you when my  
faithful servant Herriet came to me, saying she had a way to get you out of Hogwarts. She explained it would take time, but months don't matter to me anymore, Harry. They  
seem to be but only days. Gretchen's offer to act as bait was excepted. I came back to Albania, to wait.  
"So here you are now, Harry. Foolishly going against your friends warnings and coming to save her from me. I'll admit, I didn't expect such defiance from Gretchen. I  
thought she was loyal. But that is of no matter now. She had given me what I wanted. She has given me you. Now, you will die. You will die with a foolish girl. The second who was  
willing to give up her own life to save you. Die with Gretchen Locus....for all my work on her has failed. Isn't it funny, Harry? The only two in the world who have a prayer of  
stopping me will be destroyed in one night? I had hoped we could turn your friend like us but.....  
"Ah, I'm getting sentimental. Enough of that. Death is waiting."_  
A longing was in Harry's heart. A longing for the simple times to return. Where they could be careless first years....wait Gretchen wasn't there first year. Why did that matter all of the sudden?  
"We have to go," Ron said suddenly, before Harry had a chance to speak. "Me and Hermione made perfects. We get to sit with them up front."  
"Oh, yeah," Harry said, suddenly remembering that Hermione and Ron had been made perfects and he hadn't. "Well, at least promise to sit with me at the feast."  
"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione assured him. "There are some traditions that will never end." Harry nodded at her words, but he wasn't sure he believed them. In the world he could see, everything was falling apart.  
"Harry try not to look so grim, you're depressing me," Gretchen said suddenly.  
"Sorry," Harry snapped. Gretchen sighed.  
"You could at least try not to be bitter, Harry. It's not their fault that they were chosen and not us," Gretchen said. "Besides, you can always go off and find your girlfriend. She'll be glad to see you."  
"Then what would you do?" Harry asked.  
Gretchen pulled something out of her bag. "I have a book," she announced. A few moments passed. "Well, aren't you going to leave?"  
"Mandy's a perfect," Harry said, a grin forming on his face. The irony of the situation was simply amusing.  
"Oh," said Gretchen. There was an awkward silence between them. "How have you been, Harry? I mean, I know it's been rough and I doubt anyone's been OK. It's been a rough year."  
"More for you then for me," Harry said. "Why didn't you tell me, Gretchen?"  
"There are lots of things I don't tell you, Harry, just as there are many things that you don't tell me. But I suppose it doesn't matter now. It's over."  
"You're scaring me," Harry muttered.  
"Good," Gretchen said, smiling. "So, what do you think about our new schedules?"  
"New schedules?"  
"You don't know! Hermione would be ashamed of you! Well, Harry, our classes this year aren't going to be as-what's the word-conventional as they have been in the past. We're dropping History of magic, for one. We're having two separate Charms classes, one that teaches average, everyday charms and one dueling class. We get to chose what we want to learn in Transfiguration, I think. Potions....well I'm not really sure what happens in that class, but it changes. We're adding classes, too! One's called magical theory. Then there are two others. One has something to do with mental abilities and the other in a course that's suppose to help us figure out what we're doing after Hogwarts, but that will only meet four times this year," Gretchen explained in a rushed voice. Harry blinked. This was going to be interesting.  
"So, what do you want to do when you get out of Hogwarts?" Harry asked Gretchen. To the best of Harry's knollage, none of Harry's intmate friends had any idea what they wanted to do after Hogwarts. Harry had thought about it, and only knew two things. One was that he didn't want to be an Auror. He had enough Dark Arts chasing after him without chasing after dark arts himself. The second was that he would never play Quiddich professionally. He had enough fame to last a million life times. He hated it sometimes. If he played Quiddich he felt that he would become less of a man and more of the star people though he was. But what about Gretchen? What did she want to be?   
Two brown almost black eyes looked at Harry. A wide grin spread across a pale face. "I want to live after I leave Hogwarts."  
Harry laughed. "What kind of an answer is that?"  
"A true one." Gretchen laughed with Harry this time.   
"I'm serious, what do you want to do?"  
"Actually Harry, I have no idea what I want to do, but I think I know what I don't want to do. I don't want my life to be monotonous. I want to do things. Lots of things. Not just one. I want to meet people. Lots of them. Because I really don't want to be alone. And I guess I just don't want to be miserable. I want to be happy," she said.  
"I think you just stole all of my goals for the future," Harry commented. Gretchen shrugged.  
"I guess that we just share half a brain or something." Harry laughed.  
"Yeah, maybe." Harry and Gretchen were both over come by a fit of giggles. Even though most of the conversation had been totally lame, it seemed to make them happy. The witch with the food cart came bursting threw the door.  
"Oh, another young couple!" she beamed. The laughing stopped.  
"Me? Him? Couple? Nope, sorry,"Grtechen said.  
"Of course, of course," the witch said, still beaming, not believing a word that had been said. Harry and Gretchen told the witch that they weren't hungry and she went on her way.  
Gretchen started to read after she left. Harry didn't try to stop her. He had a book, himself. A Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six. Harry had read it twice already. Not because he was turning into Hermione and loved school all of the sudden, but because he was scared. Scared and worried. Harry had been so unsure about everything about the summer. He did everything he could to keep his mind from thinking. It hadn't helped much, but at least Harry could be sure his grades would be good.  
  
"Welcome to another year," Dumbledore said in the great hall. Hermione and Ron sat to Harry's left while Gretchen sat to his right. All four were listening to Dumbledore. The sorting was over. There had been an unusually large amount of students enrolled in Hogwarts that year, and Harry guessed it was because of Voldemort. Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, so naturally parents would feel that the old man would keep their children safe.  
"I have a few announcements before we take part in this lovely feast. The first is that we have a new teacher joining our ranks. Professor Magnus Morryson has agreed to fill the possession as Defense Against Dark Arts instructor." The room filled with applause as a man who looked to be about Professor McGonaggal's age stood up. He was tall and had Auburn hair that was growing gray.   
"The second," Dumbledore said as the applause grew quiet, "is that there will be Quiddich this year, however we have limited the amount of practices to one per week. Next on the agenda, Hogesmede visits will resume this year. There will be one visit every month and only if your permission slip is signed. And lastly, students are not aloud to wander school grounds alone. We will have designated outdoor areas that teachers have agreed to patrol in their free hours. With that said, eat!"  
  
After the feast the students went to bed. The first week of school was pretty normal and yet odd at the same time. Professor Flintwick explained about the dueling charms they would be learning an how lessons would alternate each time the class met. The next class was Magical Theory, which they had with Ravenclaw. Harry sat next to Mandy, his girlfriend. "Welcome, sixth years, my name is Professor Chantel Avadwire, but please address me as Chantel, for we are all equals in this forum," their new professor said. Harry looked at Professor Arawire, or Chantel, as they would call her. She was an older woman, around sixty. Her hair was white and she kept it in a bun. She was considerably thin for someone so old, though not nearly as thin as Dumbledore.  
"In this class, you will learn about the theory of magic. You'll learn about it's making's an it's history." A few groans were heard. "Oh, not the kind of history that dear old Professor Binns teachers! The history of spells! Things like how magic began and what it was originally used for. In learning how it started we van learn how magic truly works, and that, may friends, is why we are here. After all, you aren't going to learn every spell in existence at Hogwarts. You'ld be here all your life. With this class you'll be able to learn spells on your own, and if the prefession suits you, make spell's of your own."  
They were asigned to read chapters one and two of their Magical Theory book, which Harry had already done at least twice. The next new class, Mental Ability, was tought by Professor Zachary Wington. He was a kind man of around forty. The whole purpose of his class was to teach you skill like apperation, and wordless magic. They were starting with something called Phantom Lighting, which, according to Professor Wington, was an easier form of apperation. When Phantom Lighting, a person reduced themselves into a small ball of light that could move at speeds much faster then eyes could see, but was still slower then apperation. Phantom Lighting was also a way some of the most powerful wizards dueled. The balls of lights would ram into eachother until one cracker. The pieces of the ball would fall together, revealing the wizard's dead body.   
Of course, new courses weren't the only surprising thing that year. Transfiguration had been a cause of much excitement. "Well class," Professor McGonagall had begun, "it looks like you're all come to a bit of a cross road. I'm giving you three choices. The first is to continue with basic Transfiguration. The second, is to continue with basic Transfiguration and start learning about human transfiguration. Third, and I highly discourage this, is to drop Transfiguration. As of the point, the course is no longer required of you, however, it will still be on your N.E.W.T.s next year, whether you've been practicing or not." The rest of the class was spent in a frenzie of conversation.   
"What do you want to do?" Harry asked Ron.  
"I think I'll just keep on going with normal stuff," he said. "I don't reckon I'd be much good at turning into anything. What about you?" Harry though for a moment. He though of four young boys who had once walked threw Hogwarts. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.....  
"I think I'm going to try to become an animagius," Harry said. "I mean, my dad could do it, right? I can to."  
"I agree with you, Harry," Hermione said. "I'm going to try to be an animagius, too."  
"Me three," said Gretchen as she sat down next to Ron, Harry, and Hermione.  
"Where did you go?" Ron asked.  
"I just needed to have a brief word with Professor McGonagall. Nothing big,"  
Gretchen said. "I'm really excited. I've always like animals."  
"Geez. I'm the only one not doing this," Ron said sadly.  
"Then change that, come with us," Hermione pleaded.  
"No, I really don't want to be an animal."  
There was only one more new class-well, it wasn't really a class. Professor McGonagall talked with each student one on one about their future. Lavender brown got to go first. She was with the professor currently. Harry waited patiently for his turn to come. And all the while, something was bothering him. It was this youth that he seemed to have aquired now that he was back, and safe. Thinking those safe thoughts, Harry drifted to sleep.


	2. Chapter Two

A/n: Yeah! Part 1 of this story got over 100 hits in less then 24 hours, but it only got 2 reviews ::frowns:: I expect better. I would like to dedicate this part of the story to VCdunk613. You have no idea what getting e-mails liek that means to me. Thanks. Allrigth eveyone, please read, then review. : )  
**  
Part Two: Empty Thoughts and Empty Class Rooms**  
  
Harry was climbing in a tree. It was an old tree. Below him four men and one woman sat playing cards. Harry didn't know three of the men, but he knew the other two: Winetta Locus and Peter Pettigrew.  
"That's ten gallons you owe me now, Peter," said one of the men.  
"Ohh..," said Peter. "Well, I'll be sure to give them to you as soon as I get the money. Master has a new plan. We'll get paid soon."  
"A new plan?" One said questioningly.   
"Yes," said Gretchen's mother. "A chain of murders to threaten Dumbledore. One of which I plan to perform myself."  
"Really, Winny. Which one would that be?"  
"My daughter's murder."   
"Your daughter? I thought you loved her?" Peter said.  
"I do. I love her enough to kill her before she gets trapped into the web of lies Dumbledore feeds her. What am I saying? She's already trapped, already gone. Gretchen Locus could have been great. She could have been the darkest of us all, but I lost her."  
"Is it true," one man asked, "that you were going to purify her blood by putting a drop of Master's blood into it?" Winetta laughed, a cruel cold laugh that, Harry somehow knew, Gretchen still heard in her night mares.  
"Of course it's true! I would have done anything to kill the light in that child's heart! She was born with this power and the curse of kindness. I tried many curses on her in her youth. I tried so hard to make her like me. But it never work. That's all right, she'll soon be dead."  
"How soon?"  
  
"Harry! Wake up!" a voice called. Harry nearly screamed. It sounded like Winetta, but when he opened his eyes, Harry realized that Gretchen was calling him. "It's your turn."  
"Oh," Harry said quickly. "Wait for me." With that he got up and entered Professor McGonagall's office.   
"Well, Harry, how are you?" asked Professor McGonagall, transfiguration teacher and head of the Gryffindor house.  
"Err....good. Um, so we're talking about my future right?" The professor nodded. "Well, I have no idea what I'm going to do in the future so....um....can I go now?"  
"Harry, as hard as it is to except you are growing up and you will be leaving soon. The time has come to start thinking of what is best for you when this is gone. Now, you're pretty good a Quiddich, what if you played professionally?"  
"No."  
"You've been good at defeating dark magic..."  
"I don't want to be an Auror." McGonagall sighed.  
"Harry, I'm trying to help you, the least you can do is cooperate," she said irritably. "Now, where can you imagine yourself ten years from now?" Harry shrugged. McGonagall gave him a stern look.  
"I've never really thought about what's gonna happen after Hogwarts," Harry said. "All I know is that I don't want to play Quiddich or be an Auror. Look, professor, I have a killer headache, can I just go?"   
"You're not afraid that you'll die before you leave here are you?" she asked.  
"No," Harry admitted. "I'm not fared of dying, just of other people dying first."  
"You can go, Harry," the professor said grimily. Harry bolted for the door. Once out, he grabbed Gretchen's hand and lead her threw the many halls and corridors of Hogwarts.  
"What's going on?" she asked, once they had stopped. Harry didn't answer her. He  
was too busy shouting at a gargoyle.   
"Toadscales?" he asked. "Cauldron cakes? Vampirebats? Silver White Winters that Melt into springs? Oh...I give up! Trying to figure out this password is as annoying as a bumblebee!" The Gargoyle swung over to reveal a moving stair way. "Bumblebee?" Harry questioned, rolling his eyes.  
"Harry what are..."  
"Come on, we need to see Dumbledore," he said.  
"Why?"  
"Because I had a dream."  
"I have dreams everynight, Harry, and I never....," Harry raised a hand to silence her and Gretchen became quiet. He knocked on the door and a few moments later Dumbledore emerged.  
"Harry? Gretchen? What a fine surprise. Please do come in. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have a class?" he asked as he rushed them into his circular office. Harry looked around and saw the portraits of all the old headmasters and headmistresses sleeping in their frames. Fawkes was sitting in the corner of the room, looking rather sick.  
"His burning time is soon," Dumbledore commented. "Now, what was it you needed to tell me?"  
"Professor, you now how in my forth year I had those dreams were my scar would hurt?" Harry asked.  
"Yes, go on."  
"Well, I had another one." Harry paused waiting for Dumbledore to say somehting. When the old man said nothing, Harry kept on going. "In my dream there five deatheaters under a tree, talking about a string of murders. Then they said that they were going to kill Gretchen." Dumbledore blinked. He looked form Harry to Gretchen. Then he gave Harry one of his characteristic stares. Harry felt as if Dumbledore could see though him. He shivered.  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "While it is upsetting to hear the is news, I'm not surprised. What you did last year, Miss. Locus, was very brave and wise, but it has angered Voldemort."  
"And my mother."  
"And your mother. However, we don't know when or how Voldemort will strike, so we'll just have to be careful." Dumbledore sighed. "There was a brake in at the Ministry of Magic's Ministry of Records building last night," he said. "They killed the guard one duty, and the stole, too. Three family files were stolen."  
"Family files?" Harry questioned.  
"Files kept on a magical family," Dumbledore explained. "As I said, three files were stolen. The Potter file, the Locus file, and the Black file. Do any of you have any idea why these files were taken?"  
"No," Harry said.  
"Not a clue," said Gretchen. A sudden thought popped into Harry's head. She's lying.  
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "You know the password. If either of you need to talk you'll always be welcome." Harry and Gretchen left.  
  
"You'll never believe what professor McGonagall said," bragged Ron the next day at breakfast. "She said that I'd do fine working for Grimgots."  
"So?" Harry asked.  
"So that's were Bill works! I don't want the same job as my brother!" Ron exclaimed. "She also said I'd do good in the Ministry of Finances for the Ministry of Magic. That would be an ok job I suppose, though not very exciting."  
"What do you want to be Ron?" asked Harry.  
"I don't know. Something that makes lots of money," said Ron. "What about you, Hermione, what do you want to be?"  
"I really don't know," Hermione said. "Something complicated. Something interesting. I think I want to be a wand maker."  
"What?" Harry and Ron both said in unison.  
"A wand maker! You know, I'd make wands. I could use the information from Care of Magical Creatures and Magical Theory to do it. Then I could use my other classes  
to make specialize wands for Transfiguration or Charms," Hermione explained. "It just seems like a rewarding job, don't it? You get to help a new generation of witches and wizards and make money at the same time. Not to mention that the art of making wands is emmencly complex. Did you know that it takes at least three days to make one wand? And  
that you can't use a wand to make a wand?"  
"No," Ron said. "What about you, Harry? What do you want to be?"  
"I haven't thought about it," Harry said truthfully.   
"Oh!" Hermione said suddenly. "Ron, we need to pass out the new schedules for this week!"   
"That's right," Ron exclaimed. "It's a perfect thing." Ron and Hermione passed out new shedules to first and second year students while some of the older perfects passed out the third fourth and fifth year shedules. A seventh year perfect gave out the sixth and seventh year shedules. Then all the perfects sat back down.  
"Hmm," said Harry. "Why aren't we having any Charms lessons this week?"  
"Oh, Professor Flintwick is going to some special club of his," Hermione explained.  
"Look on the bright side, Harry," Ron said in sarcastic tone. "We get a double potions lesson instead." Potions was Harry's least favorite subject headed by his least favorite teacher, Professor Snape.  
"Great," said Harry sarcastically.  
"Have you seen Gretchen this morning?" Hermione asked.  
Ron shrugged. "She's in your dorm, not ours." Hermione gave him a stern look.  
"She's not in my dorm anymore, Ron, remember? I already moved into the perfects dorm. Speaking of that, you should get moving, too. Fletcher Cords is going to be very angry with you. He's the Headboy now." Ron rolled his eyes, but Harry did not.   
"You're moving out of our dorm?" he asked in an almost hurt voice.  
"Well, yes," said Ron, who was shifting uncomfterible in his chair. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Harry, I just didn't want to upset you. Hey, why didn't become a perfect, anyway?"  
"I don't know. I suppose I've lost too many house points to qualify," Harry lied. He made a mental note to ask professor McGonagall the next time he saw her. "I have to go to the library."   
Ron rolled his eyes. "You're going to make-out with Mandy again, aren't you?"  
"So what if I am? You make out with Lavender in the common room almost everynight. Parvotti was very upset. That is, until she and Seamus started trying to suck eachother's brains out." Hemrione giggeled.   
"Oh, Harry. Terry and I wanted to know if you and Mandy would like to have dinner with Ron, Lavender, and us, sometime. We already arranged for Ron and Lavender to come at a Perfects meeting yesterday," Hermione said. "Will you ask her? I mean, she already knows, but I think she wants you to ask her." Harry nodded.  
"Thanks Hermione," he said. Then he left the room.  
Mandy was waiting for him in the library. She was sitting at a table far away from the Liberian. "Oh, Harry it's so good to see you," she said.  
"You just saw me yesterday," Harry commented.  
"I now, but yesterday was yesterday and today is today," Mandy explained. Harry just nodded, not having a clue as to what Mandy was getting at. "Harry, I've had a revelation."  
"A revelation? What 'bout?"  
"My future," she said. Harry almost rolled his eyes. He was tired of hearing everyone talk about their futures. He was especially sick about hearing Mandy talk about her future. Apparently, Mandy had mapped out her entire life before she even arrived at Hogwarts. Harry thought that was a little odd, but he didn't say so.  
"I was just thinking, if I'm going to be working at Grimgotts, what will you be doing?" she said. "I mean it's just that when we're married..."  
"Married?" Harry repeated. "Who said anything about getting married?"  
"Well, we have been going out for over six months," Mandy said. "My parents had only been going out four months when my dad proposed so, I kinda assumed....."  
"You assumed that we would get married? We're only sixteen, Mandy. I don't want to worry about marriage for a long time."  
"Are you saying that you don't want to marry me? That you think I'm unworthy?" Mandy assumed.  
"I never said....."  
"Because if you do, Harry Potter, I assure it will be the worst mistake of your life." Harry sighed.  
"I don't want to not marry you," Harry said, "But I don't want to marry you either. Yet. But I will tell you what I do want."  
"What is that," Mandy said irritably.  
"I want you to come with Hermione, Ron and I and their dates to dinner sometime." Mandy's face lit up.  
"Oh, I knew that you really did love me, Harry." With that the two locked lips.   
  
The conversation Harry had with Mandy bothered him all day. It bothered him so much that the double potions lesson with Snape was barible. And the new recruits on the Gryffindor Quiddich team didn't seem half as annoying as they actually were. After Quiddich practice, Harry looked forward to going to sleep, and maybe having a talk with Ron about Mandy, but when he arrived in his dorm Ron's bed was gone. Harry knew  
where it was, with the other boy Perfects. Harry sighed and went to bed, unbearably alone with his thoughts.   
Mandy had assumed that Harry would marry her someday. How could she have ever thought that? Harry didn't know what he was going to do with his future, but one thing he did know was that he didn't want to get married right away. Not to Mandy.  
Not to Mandy? Harry was surprised at his own thought. He loved spending time with Mandy. She was smart, and funny, and a great kisser. Harry loved her. At least he thought he did. She was beautiful. She was one of the most beautiful girls Harry had ever seen. Yes, he did love her, but she seemed to doubt that love.  
Harry thought for a moment of the witch on the train. She had though Harry and Gretchen were going out. Harry knew he didn't love Gretchen. He had figured that out last year. She was very intriguing, but he didn't love her. Had Mandy some how discoed the witches opinion of Harry and Gretchen, though? Did Mandy thing he was cheating on her? Harry hoped not. Mandy was becoming a constant in his ever shifting life. A life were he felt that he was losing his two best friends.  
Ron and Hermione were perfects now. That much was obvious. They almost seemed to be using their new statis as perfects to avoid spending time with Harry. They always seemed to be busy with one Perfect event or another. Helping a first year get to classes, attending a meeting. Harry was getting sick of it.   
He suddenly felt that he was wrong about them. They hadn't grown up over the summer. If they had, they would understand that friendship was the most important thing at that moment. Harry wished he could tell them that, but he hadn't had time to talk with them since breakfast. Even if they were in classes together, Harry wouldn't dare talk during potions, and they were to aborted in their magical theory class that say to whisper. At lunch, Ron had been with the perfects, moving his bed, and dinner, Ron and Hermione had been sitting at the perfects table. That had left Harry with no one to talk to but Ginny Weasly, Ron's sister. Harry didn't mind that too much, except that she could still be a bit shy in front of him. He really needed to talk with someone his own age. Some one who  
could understand him. Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed for the girls dorm. Harry was going to talk with Gretchen.  
As usual, she was easy to wake. Gretchen was a light sleeper. When she crawled down into the common room a few minuets later, she was wide awake. "What is it, Harry?" she asked. Harry hadn't talked to Gretchen at all that day. Harry supposed that after hearing about Harry's dream she had become a bit frightened, but she looked fine now.  
"I jut needed to talk to someone," Harry said. "I've been thinking about everything. Gretchen, are you scared?"  
"No really," she said.  
"I mean, do you ever get the feeling that your doing something wrong?"  
"Sometimes, but not often," she said. " 'Long is the rode-braving the cold-To keep the soul unsold-As we get old--And has it all become a bliss a bore-As it never was before I do not think that true, folklore-For there's a demon at my door'"  
Harry looked at her, bewildered. "What was that?"  
"It's part of a poem written by a witch under the pen name Kate Marie. It's about evil and death. For me it's always been about mother. Mother and Voldemort and the Deatheaters. It seems like there always with me now, so I think of that poem a lot," Gretchen said.  
"How does the rest go?"  
" 'With his dread and deathly eye-Tempting me with evil's pie-To run with rage and steal and lie-Until the day that I shall die--And for the entire world to see-He calls my name and comes to me-How am I ever to be-As I want to be, free--He is not my owner I am not his slave-A path for him I shall not path-or nothing but heartache has he gave Such that will haunt me in the grave--I tried and tried to get him away-Only to find that he  
must stay-So will battle him anther day-For it will always be that way--And has the Good bid us farewell-And given us it's finial yell-The demon brings it into hell-Forever close in prison-shell--And has it all become a bliss a bore--As it never was before--I do not think that true, folklore--For there's a demon my at my door.'"  
"I don't get it," Harry said.  
"I didn't think you would. Hey did you hear that?"  
"Hear what?"  
"It sounds like someone's coming up the stairs," Gretchen said.  
"But it's one in the morning, you and I are the only one dumb enough to up at this hour," Harry said. "Well, we'd better....." The door opened. Albus Dumbledore walked into the common room, followed promptly by Sirius Black.   
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed.  
"Shhhhh," said Gretchen. "You'll wake the others."  
"Harry, I'm go glad to see you. How have you been?" Sirius asked.  
"Great," Harry said. "I'm Quiddich captain now."  
"That's wonderful. You're father would be so proud of you Harry. He would be so proud." A silence filled the room. Sirius wiped away a tears from the corners of his eyes. Harry looked away.   
"If you'll excuse us for a moment, Harry, I need to have a word with Sirius." Dumbledore lead Sirius to the other side of the room and talked to him in a low voice. Harry turned back to Gretchen, who hadn't left yet. She was watching Sirius and Dumbledore talk. There was a look of curiosity in her eyes. Curiosity and something else....pain. Harry looked at Gretchen's dark eyes, and then looked at Sirius. His dark eyes were just visible. Suddenly, Harry understood.  
"I'm going to bed," she announced.  
"No you're not," Harry told her.  
"I'm not?" said Gretchen sarcastically. "Why is that?"  
"Because you're going to tell him," Harry said. "You're going to tell him who your father is." Gretchen gasped.  
"How did you know?" she asked.  
"Your eyes." Harry waited a moment. "Well?"  
"I can't Harry, I just can't."  
"You have to. He has a right to know," Harry said in a slightly raised voice. He didn't know that Sirius and Dumbledore could hear him. "If you won't I will."  
"You certainly will not!" Gretchen proclaimed. Dumbledore and Sirius could hear her, too. "You can't."  
"I can to. He's my God father."  
"Well, he's my real father and I say no!" Gretchen announced.  
"What!" Sirius shouted. Gretchen gasped. She looked at Harry and Sirius, pure horror in her eyes. She turned around and ran straight into the girl's dorms.  
"Gretchen," Harry called. "Gretchen, come back here."  
"Harry what did she mean?" Sirius asked. Harry looked at him. "Harry?"  
"Gretchen said that her mum had bewitched her dad and that he didn't know 'bout  
her," Harry said. "I never thought that Winetta Locus bewitched you."  
"Winetta? She's Winetta's daughter?" Harry nodded. Sirius just stood there, shocked.  
  
Sirius stayed in the castle for a few days. Harry did the best he could to explain the him about Gretchen. It was hard though, seeing as Gretchen refused to talk to him. Or Hermione of Ron. A week had past and Harry was beginning to miss her friendship. He was also becoming more and more grateful of Mandy. However, one Monday, a week after Sirius had visited, everything changed. Dumbledore stood up at breakfast. There was no fire in his eyes. Harry knew something was wrong. The hall quieted. "I am afreid something horrid has happened," Dumbledore announced. "As you all know, Professor Flintwick was attending a meeting of the Grand Champions Dueling Club this week. While he was in attendance Voldemort attacked. I'm sorry, but Professor Flintwick is dead."  
All sanity in the hall disappeared in that moment. All the Ravenclaws started crying, for he was the head of their house. The teachers started crying as well. Hagrid's bellows could be heard throughout the halls. Harry could see Professor Morryson comforting Professor McGonagall out of the corner of his eye. Hermione was in tears, Ron was trying  
to comfort her, but to no avail.   
Harry felt empty. So empty that he couldn't cry. The rest of the day passed in a bliss. Before Harry knew it he was alone in the Gryffindor Common room. it was late. Everyone else was in bed. He was briefly aware that someone else had entered. "I'm sorry, Harry." Gretchen was there. She sat down next to him.   
"Sorry about what?"  
"Not speaking with you." She looked away. When she started to speak again, her voice trembled. "I've just been so angry. So stupid. Harry life it too short to act this way. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She took a deep breath. "Harry, I'm scared." She met his gaze again.  
"Me too," Harry breathed.  
"Come on," Gretchen said. "Let's write a letter to Sirius Black. He deserves to know." Harry nodded and the two began to write. Gretchen got out a quill and some parchment and started write 'Dear Sirius' when she suddenly got pale and put her hands over her ears, then she collapsed. Harry felt himself falling into unconciousness, too.  



	3. Chapter 3

a/n: Part three is finily here. I couldn't think of a good title, sorry. I'm post part four today, too, and I hope to be finished with part five soon. I have lots of time to write thanks to a silly and pointless holiday. I've kept you waiting a week. Wow. Marching Band is beginning to take up lots of my time (3or4 hours twice a week in addition to school and all day Saturday) Please, R/R. Enjoy.  
Disclaimer: As you may have guessed, Idon't own this.   
  


**Part Three: Ghosts of the Present, Demons of the Past**  


  
Harry was awakened by a ringing in his ears. No, it wasn't coming from the inside, it was coming from the outside. Harry opened his eyes and saw Gretchen sitting on the floor in from of him, screaming. Instinctively, he covered her mouth with his hand and whispered, "Quiet you'll wake the others." Then he raised his head to look at what had  
scared her.   
Harry's eyes widened in terror. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't because his breath was caught in his chest. He didn't move, didn't breath for several seconds. Then, finilly he stuttered, "N-Nev-Neville?"  
"Yes, Harry it's me," the ghost said. He waved his transparent hand in the air. "Hi Gretchen. Sorry I starteled you. I didn't mean to. I-I just realized that I was dead a few days ago. And well, I was flyling around, invisible, and, well, I lost controll and I I ran right threw you guys. I suppose that would be enough to knock you out. I'm sorry." Harry  
slowly lowered his hand from Gretchen's mouth. He was worried that she would start screaming agien. Of course, that wouldn't have mattered for Harry could hear many feet climbing down stairs behind him. However, Gretchen did not scream, she was completely silent for a long time, time enough for many students to come intot he commen room.  
"So you're haunting the school, Neville?" she asked. The ghost of Neville Longbottem nodded.  
"It's still me," he said. "It's just that I'm not alive anymore." Gretchen cleared her throat.  
"Well, welcome back Neville. Now, I believe those of us who are alive do need some sleep. I suggest,"-she told the group that had accumulated behind her, mostly students in the first three years,-"That you get back to bed, as I will." She yawned. "Goodnight, Neville. Happy haunting." With that Gretchen turned and left the room, as did many of the curious students. Neville disappeared threw the ceiling. When everyone had  
gone, only Harry, Ron and Hermione were left.  
"A ghost? Neville? Who would have thought..," Ron started. However, Hermione cut him off.  
"Harry what were you doing down here at such an hour! That's a horrible example to set up for the younger students and you know how they look up to you! If Professor McGonagall cought you....."  
"Come off it, Hermione," Ron said. "Harry was just talking. It's not like he was doing anything wronge."   
"But he's a role model...," Hermione began.  
"You're the role model, Hemrione. You're the perfect. Me? I'm just a regular guy," Harry said. Hermione scowled at him.  
"Honestly, Harry. There's no need for you to be jealous," she said.  
"I'm not jealous," Harry said. "Just surprised."  
"Well what are you surprised about! You've broken tons of rules over the last five years!" Harry was angry. How dare Hermione say that.   
"Let's not forget that you've helped me every step of the way," Harry shouted. Hermione opene her mouth as if to yell, but no words came out. She raised her hand and then lowered it back to her side before turning sround and storming off. Harry sighed and sat down. Ron turned to look out the window.  
"You just need to give her some time, Harry," the red haired boy said. "All the perfect stuff has gone to her head. I suppose it's what she's always wanted. She'll probebly be head girl someday." Ron continued to look at the stars. "You're my best freind, Harry, and I don't want to fight with you, but I am curious, what were you and Gretchen doing  
here, anyway?"  
"Talking," Harry said.  
"Talking? I though you said she was refusing to speak to you."  
"She was. But she met me down here and said she was being stupid and that life was too short," he said. Ron nodded.  
"Why was she mad at you anyway?" Harry wan't sure exactly what he should say. He hadn't told Ron or Hemrione about his dream, or who Gretchen's father was, or counless other things. Now that he was think about it, Harry couldn't believe ho many secrets he had kept between Gretchen and himself. He had barely noiticed. So he decided to take a leep of faith. He told Ron everything. Everything. He told him about Grtechen's blood bind, and how they were connected some how, about the dream, and about how they were talking later. That's when he stopped. Gretchen had gotten so mad when Harry told Sirius that he was he dad, wuld she get mad if he told Ron?  
"Well, hurry up Harry, it's not like we have all night," Ron pushed.  
"Sirius came into the room and I noiticed something," Harry said. Harry wouldn't tell Ron, but if Ron figured it out for himself, that would be alright. "Their eyes are the same color."  
"So?"  
"Gretchen looks like her mum in every way. Except her eyes. Apparently she has her father's eyes." Ron gasped. Harry stoof up and walked back towardas the boys dormitories. "I'm going to bed," he proclaimed, leaving Ron sitting in the commen room, wide eyed.  
  
"Well it's not my fault all you want to do is makeout!"  
"That is not all I want to do...."   
"Do you think they'll ever stop?" Gretchen asked Harry and Hermione as they watched Ron and Lavender fight in the middle of the Gryffindor Commen room.   
"Yes, they will," Hermioen said. "Ron told me that he was starting to get annoyed with her a long time ago."  
"Huh. He never told me," Harry said.  
"Oh," said Hermione suddenly embarresssed. "I'm sure he ment to."   
"Well, I'm hungry," Gretchen declaired. "What did you say, Hemrione? You need to tickle the pear to get into the kitchens?"  
"Yes," hermione answered. "Oh, and when you come back tell me how Winky's doing." Gretchen nodded and left. Harry watched her go. It had been two months since Harry had had the dream warning of Voldemort's ploting of her life. It seemed to have no effect on her, but Harry wasn't sure if that was quite true. Since the death of Professor  
Flintwick and his four close friends (also members of his dueling club) there had been three seperate murders. One of the victoms was a witch named Esmeralda LaTruce. Appearently, the French witch had been a very good freind of Professor Dumbledore, for Harry didn't see him at meals for two days after that. The second murder was of an old  
couple-Nora and Rafael Goldstine. For some reason this had upset Gretchen greatly, though she wouldn't say why.   
Harry looked at Ron and Lavender agien. "I suppose they'll have to brake up soon, for their sanity's sake," Harry said.  
"If not for their sanity then mine," Hemrione anounced. "I'm getting a head ache from all this screaming. I sware, maybe having boyfriends and girl freinds makes things all too complicated."  
"From Ron, maybe, but me and Mandy have a good relasionship, and you and Terry get along just fine," Harry pointed out.   
"Yes, maybe. But I think that they both suspect we love someone else."  
"What?"  
"Well, they're in Ravenclaw, Harry, they don't know the kind of secrets we have with eachother. When we spent time with eachother, and with Ron and Gretchen, they think we're well, being together in a way that freinds are not," Hemrione explained.   
Harry tried to roll his eyes but he couldn't. He felt a sharp pain in his head. His breath seemed to have been caught in his chest and he had the sudden urge to cover his head, as if to stop something form falling on him. His arm ached. There was a taste in his mouth, burning his throat. Peper. Hot peper. He looked at Hermione. She didn't seem to noitice anything. Suddenly the pain was gone, but the pepery taste in his mouth still remained. "I'm going to go take a walk," he announced. "Maybe I'll run into Mandy if I'm lucky." Hemrione laughed.  
"Get out of here, Harry." Harry smiled and headed for the portriet hole. He climbed out and started to walk.   
"Hello, Harry."  
"Hello, Neville."  
"Is your friend all right?" Mrytle, who was flying next to Neville asked.   
"Ron will live," Harry announced.  
"Not Ron. The girl. Isn't that why you're leaving, to follow her?" Harry looked confused. Neville whispered something into Mrytle's ear. "Oh! That's right! he doesn't know, does he?"  
"Know what?" Harry demanded, he was so confused that he almost forgot to skip the step that had once eluded Neville. "What's going on? What are you talking about?"  
"The painting. It fell on the girl," Mrytle said. Was she talking about who he thought she was talking about? Gretchen? Had something happened? Harry hurried down the stairs, totally jumping the last six and landing like a cat on the ground below. He dashed threw the halls looking to the painting of the fruit bowl.  
When he got there, however, he did not see s bowl of fruit. He saw the door the paint cocealed and the painting itself on the ground. Profesors McGanagll and Morryson were trying to lift it. "Why happened?" Harry asked as he hurried by them.  
"Don't...know.....," Professor McGonagall panted as she tried to lift the painting. Harry grabbed an end and started to help. He was able to get it up a few inched high. Some one hurried out from underneath. Gretchen. Harry and the two professors dropped the painting as soon as she was completely out. "Gretchen, are you alright?" Professor McGonagall asked, but she didn't answer. Her eyes were transfixed on the painting. Harry  
followed her gaze.  
The painting was glowing a silvery color and levitating. It was rising higher and higher, setting itslef back onto it's frame, except that i wasn't a painting anymore. It was a canvas. A blank canvas. The glowing stopped and blood red letters began to bleed onto the white backround, as if someone ahd stuck a needle into pure skin and the blood left writing  
on the wall. Quickly a message former. Two words, not even a complete sentence, and yet they awakened a fear in the four who saw them like nothing ever had before. The stood there mockingly in with their dark aura. Two words: _Love Mother_  
Gretchen a hand over her mouth to keep herslef from screaming. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. Harry stood next to har and grabbed her shoulders. "It's going to be all right," he told her. "It will be all right." Gretchen nodded weakly and professor McGonagall approched her.   
"Let me see your arm," the professor said. Gretchen extended her rigth arm. "It's broken. Oh, and that's a deep gash on it. Here, hold it and try to stop the bleeding, Miss Locus. I'll take her to the hospital wing, Magnus. Go get Dumbledore."  
"Yes, Minny-um-Minerva." The nervous looking man turned around and ran to get the head master. For the first time, Harry noiticed something rather odd. Professor McGonagall was waring her hair down. Down! It was clinging to her shoulders.  
"Potter," she said sharply. "Stay here until Magnus returns. Gretchen and I will be back as soon as the bone is healed." Harry nodded. The head of his house and one of his best friends disappeared down a corridor.   
"There you are," said a cheery voice. Harry saw Mandy walking towards him. "Why do you look so gloomy?"  
"Err..the painting fell on Grtechen. It was kinda weird," he said. Mandy's eyes turned cold.   
"What were you doing here with Gretchen?" she asked, heavy accusation in her voice. Harry wondered how she could possibily be so jealous.  
"I wasn't doing anything with her. I was walking about and I professor McGanagall and professor Mottyson trying to get the painting off her. I just stopped to help," he said.   
"Oh," Mandy said, light returning to her eyes and a smile appearing on her lips. "That was all? Good. Come on, Harry, let's take a walk." Harry shock his head.  
"I was told to wait here while professor Morryson gets Dumbledore," he explained. Mandy frowned. She walked around him in a semi-circle, as if doing her best to be a preditor that stalks it's prey.  
"Why do you always have an excuse not to be with me, Harry? Don't you love me?" she asked. Her pacing stopped. She looked Harry dead in the eyes.  
"Oh course I love you, Mandy," Harry said, "but my life doesn't revolve around you."  
"So it revolves around her then, doesn't it? Gretchen. Gretche Locus. What does she have that I don't, Harry? The not prettier then I am. Anyone can see that. She's not nearly as smart. So tell me, Harry, what makes her so spiecal?" The tiger Mandy was getting ready for the killing blow. Harry knew this would be his one chance to save their relashionship. But did he want to save it? Was it worth saving. Harry leaned over and kissed Mandy.  
"The only thing Gretchen has that you don't is a steak of bad luck, which is something you don't ewant anyway. However, you have something she doesn't. You have me." Mandy looked at him.   
"I'll see you after brakefast tomorrow," she said. Mandy leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheack. Then she left. Harry traced the invisibile mark on his cheack were she had kissed him. A hot/cold feeling radiated from it.   
Dumbledore and Morryson came a few moments later. Dumbledore looked at the painting and frowned. "Where is Gretchen?" he asked.  
"I'm rigth here, sir," she said as she and McGonagall walked up to Dumbledore, Morryson, and Harry. Madam Pomfrey was with that, carrying some white bandages. Harry noiticed that the cut on Grtechen's arm had been cleaned, but that still slightly bleeding. Dumbledore looked at her arm.  
"Don't wrapp it yet, Poppy, there is something I must see.....," he took hold of Gretchen's arm with one hand a used the other to get some of gretchens blood on just on finger. He released her arm and took a drop of blood from the painting on that hand. "Ah," he said. "It's the child's blood on the painting."  
"What does that mean, Albus?" professor McGonagall asked. She glanced at Gretchen for a moment, who's head was lowered in shame, eyes towards the floor.  
"For one thing, it means that Winetta is after her daughter, but we've known that for a long while. All this has done is verified that fact agien. And it has also showed us, that though Winetta wants to harm her daughter, she's not in the castle now." Dumbledore looked at the painting. "Minerva, kindly go fetch Violet's painting. I believe she'll fit. Magnus, would you like to assist her?"  
"Of course, headmaster. Minerva?" Magnus said as he offeared her his arm. She took it and the two disappeared together". Dumbledore watched them for a moment, the fire Harry knew so well returning to his eyes.....but it disappeared quickly enough as he turned back to face Harry and Gretchen.   
"Do you have any idea," he asked, "any idea as to what may have caused this?" Gretchen looked at Harry for a moment. He just swallowed, the taste of peper still thick in his mouth._ Peper juice_....The thought enetered Harry's mind and he knew immediately it was not his own. He looked at Gretchen, knowing that it much have been hers. Harry and  
Gretchen had exchanged thoughts the way only once before, the day Gretchen left for the deatheater's camp. The day Harry followed her. The day Neville died.  
"I don't know," Gretchen said. "How could my mum do this without being in the castle? She cant hurt me without being near me....can she?" Dumbledore nodded grimly.  
"I appears so," he said. "Perhaps it would be best if you two headed back to your common room. Gretchen needs rest. You don't want to be ill two Halloweens in a row, do you?" The twinkle had returned to Dumbledore's eyes. "Try not to worry, Gretchen. I promise you that as long as you are here, she won't harm you again. Go on, now." Harry  
and Gretchen nodded and headed for the Gryffindor common room. Behind them they could hear Albus Dumbledore humming contentedly to himself.   
"We can't let something like this happen agien," Harry said.  
"How can we stop it," Gretchen said softly. Her tone was more serious then Harry had ever heard it before.  
"We're going to get a map."**  
  
  
**


	4. Chapter Four

a/n:I know that all of you just loove my character Gretchen. Now, someone else that everyone loves agrees with you. : ) Enjoy!  
disclaimer: I'm not talented enough to own this.  
  


Part Four: Crushed Hearts  


  
There was a marvelous feast on Halloween. By the end of the night Ron proclaimed that he wouldn't be eating for a week. Harry felt the same way. But that was only one night. Many nights had past before this one had finally come.  
It was early December. That was how long it had taken Harry to make a full proof plan to get his map back (he had never retrieved it after lending it to fake-Moody fourth year). Of course, the six weeks had not simply been spent in planning. First Harry had to make sure Flinch hadn't gotten hold of the map, then he had to figure out which spells professor Morryson put over his office door. That had been difficult. They were all advanced spells. Harry and Gretchen had been able to figure out which one they were and how to brake them, though, and now they were going on a midnight quest to retrieve the marauder's map.  
"You're stepping on my foot," Gretchen moaned from under the invisibility cloak.  
"Sorry," Harry mumbled. "Quiet."  
"Harry, look," Gretchen whispered. "His office lights are on. He's inside."  
"How will we get inside?"  
"Hmm...," Gretchen made a loud sound as she bumped into all wall. Professors McGonagall and Morryson emerged from the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher's office, both mutter about troublesome students. Harry and Gretchen ran into the office throwing off the cloak.   
"Were's the map," Gretchen asked.  
"I don't know. I haven't seen it, but I know it's here," Harry shouted. He heard the two coming back in. "Hurry."  
"Accio Marauder's Map," Gretchen said. The map flew out from under the desk into her hand. "See there's a reason I came after all." The door opened. The two professors started to walk in. Harry and Gretchen both dived under the desk. They made themselves as small as possible. Harry could see the two professors walking across the room, making small talk. They were coming towards the desk. Harry didn't want to see what happened next. He jammed his eyes hut and turned his head.  
The world seemed to fade away.  
Harry felt warm. Everything seemed....he couldn't find the right word. He was going to say safe, but that wasn't it. He was aware more then ever that Voldemort was free and that Gretchen's mother wanted to kill her. But that didn't seem to matter much with this warm feeling. No, it did matter. It mattered a lot. But...Everything was peaceful. Things were the way they were, but that was OK. Harry felt so warm. Then it stopped.  
"Allow me to kiss you goodnight, my good professor," someone above him said.   
"Who am I to deny such a gentleman?"  
"Goodnight, Minerva."  
"Good night, Magnus." The two left the room. Harry waited a few moments, then opened his eyes. Gretchen was staring at him, looking horrified.  
"You kissed me," she said.  
"You kiss me," Harry countered. She looked at him for a moment, bewildered, the slipped out from under the desk. Harry followed her. He grabbed the cloak and threw it over them. "Come on, lets hurry before Morryson comes to lock up."  
They started walking. "They're dating, you know. McGonagall and Morryson," She commented. Harry told her to be quiet, and kept on walking. He didn't want to think about McGonagall and Morryson. He just wanted his map. He wanted to have not kissed Gretchen. But that was impossible. He had kissed her.   
He had betrayed Mandy.  
Why did something so wrong feel so right?  
You can always brake up with Mandy, a voice inside of him said. But could he? Harry loved Mandy. Or did he? Well, it didn't matter either was because he didn't love Gretchen and it wouln't be worth braking up with someone so nice because of someone he didn't even love. But of he didn't love her why was he so scared?  
Harry was starting to wish that he didn't have a girl friend. Love was way too complicated, especially when you weren't quite sure that you were in love to begin with. And when you were in love with two people.  
No, Harry insisted to himself, you are not in love with Gretchen. He loved her as a friend, a best friend. A friend who talked with him in the middle of the night and went on silly quests to find maps. She was a friend. He loved her as a friend.  
Harry didn't even say good night to Gretchen when then arrived in the common room. He just took the map and the cloak and ran to his bed. He couldn't fall in love with Gretchen after one accidental kiss. But he already loved her. As a friend. But what of he loved her more then a friend? What if Mandy had been right in getting suspicious about them?   
Harry left his bed and walked into the bath room. He looked into he mirror. "Dumbledore said me had a bond," he mused, "so that was why the kiss was so magical. Because it really was made form magic. It wasn't real. It wasn't real at all." Harry nodded. That sounded logical. But still, as long as he was arguing with himself.....  
"What's so bad about loving her?" he asked himself, realizing that something about this was making him feel excited. "She's kind. She understands me. She really doesn't care about that fact that I'm the famous Harry Potter, she cares about me. She so smart. I could talk to her forever if I wanted to. So what's so bad about all this? I'm only sixteen years old. If I brake up with Mandy and try to get Gretchen to love me then what would be so horrible? I'd have the rest of my life to make things right again if nothing worked."   
Harry noticed that he was still holding the map. He looked at it. The dot labeled Gretchen locus was in bed in the girls dormitory. There were little z.z.z above it, meaning that she was asleep. Did that mean that none of this bothered her? That she really didn't care about the kiss because she didn't care about him?  
Harry looked in the mirror. "It was a kiss made of magic," he said gloomily. "It was an illusion." He could hear the depression in his own voice and feel disappear at the pit of his stomach. Harry suddenly realized that he did love Gretchen. He had loved her for a long time. How long had he been in love with her?   
Well, he thought, he had loved her last year when she had been willing to risk her life, to die, for him, because he followed her. He had loved her Christmas that year, when he had sent her a box of candies, but he had never really expected anything from her. He walked into his room and pulled something out from under his bed: the stones she had given him. It had two engravings on it, one symbol meant health, the other happiness. If it meant happiness, then why did looking at it make Harry feel so sad?   
Had he loved her when she gave these to him? When she was there when he needed her? Maybe it had been before then, when he woke her up in the middle of the night for the first time. She had realized then that they were the same somehow, though she had had no idea that they were connected.....some how. She had still known. Had he known? Had he loved her? He remembered smiling at her on the Hogwarts express, even though she couldn't see. Had he loved her then?  
Maybe he had just loved her forever. He just loved her. He wanted to laugh because he loved her so much. He wanted to laugh at the idiot he had been. He had loved her forever and never even known. He looked at the map again. She was still sleeping. She didn't seem to love him. Then again, he had never asked her if she loved him, considering this was the first moment he had ever let himself love her, but that didn't seem to matter. Something inside him told him that if she loved him, she would be troubled and awake, waiting for him.   
Harry sighed. He'd talk with Ron in the morning. Harry needed some sleep.   
  
Harry woke up feeling tired. It had done little to clear his thoughts. He was still confused. So confused that he decided not to bother. If Gretchen didn't love him, what was the point of ending a good relationship with Mandy?  
Harry was one of the first people to get to the breakfast hall. He took a seat next to Ron, who was reading a letter. "My mum wants you, Gretchen, and Hermione to come over for Christmas," he reported. "Do you want to come, Harry?"  
"Sure," he replied, thinking of Weasley's cooking. That cheered him up a little bit. The Weasleys had become Harry's family. Ron was more then his best friend, he was his brother. Just as his father and Sirius had been. Harry was proud that he and Ron had such a strong friendship, even if Harry had doubted it all summer.  
"So, how's Lavender?" Harry asked.  
"We broke up," Ron said, turning pink. "While you were at Quiddich practice last night. It turns out she and Justin, from the Hufflepuff house have been seeing each other for a week or something."  
"Oh," Harry said. "Love's too complicated."  
"Tell me about it," Ron said.   
"I mean you think you have something special and then boom it's gone. And you realize that what you have isn't really special at all, but what you could have had is," Harry complained. Ron looked at him strangely.  
"What are you talking about?" he asked. Harry sighed.  
"Nothing that matters," he assured Ron as Hermione and Gretchen came to the table, giggling about something. They were talking about Hermione's date with Terry, her boyfriend.  
"Oh, I'm starting to miss having a boy of my own," Gretchen said as she sat down. "Ron, you and Lavender broke up. Wanna go out?"  
"No thanks," Ron said. "I don't ever want to fall in love again. Oh, Gretchen, Hermione, my mum's invited you guys and Harry over for Christmas. You wanna come?" Both girls said yes. Harry smiled and said that was great, even though he never really wanted to see Gretchen again.  
"Harry, what happened to your hand?" Gretchen asked. Harry looked at it. He had cut it during Quiddich practice the night before. He told her that. "Ohh, that's horrible." She took his hand and kissed it. "Does it feel better, now?"  
"Loads," Harry said. He grinned as Gretchen giggled. He had no intention of ever washing his hand again. Hedwig came with a bunch of owls to the table, dropping at letter on Harry's lap. As Hedwig nibbled on a bit of toast, he read the letter. "It's from Sirius," he whispered. "He says that everything's going well, and that he hopes we're having a nice winter." Harry shivered to Gretchen, who was sitting next to him, so that only she could hear. "He wants to meet us during our next Hogsmede visit. Alone."  
"Telling secrets are you, Harry?" said a voice behind him. It was Mandy.   
"Yep," he said jokingly.  
"Oh," she said fercly. "Well, maybe I'll leave then."  
"Relax, Mandy. I was just kidding," Harry said. "There's no need to get suspisious of anything. It's not like I'm in love with her or anything."  
"Of course not, Harry. I-I guess I just get worried," Mandy said.  
"Why do you get worried, anyway?" Harry asked. Mandy was silent.  
"Because I.....," her vioce trailed off. "I need to talk to you, Harry. Come walk with me." Harry nodded and the two started walking off. Mandy looked scared. "The truth is, Harry, I did something dumb. I kissed Justin Findly-fetch, the Hufflepuff perfect, near the bginning of the school year. I felt really bad about it, and I got scared that you'd find out and that you wouldn't love me anymore. Well, you started spending a lot of your time with Gretchen Locus, and I got worried. Eveyone says that she loves you..."  
"No, Gretchen doesn't love me," Harry interupted.  
"I know. I was just so worried and so scared. I needed to know you loved me, and I got suspisious." Harry nodded.  
"What would you do if I didn't love you?" he asked.  
"I don't know."  
"Do you love someone else? Anyone else?"  
"No, Harry, I don't think I do," Mandy said. "You're the first boy I've ver gone out with. I really lik you."  
"I really like you, too, Mandy, but I don't think I love you. And I don't think that you love me."  
"Harry," Mandy said, her vioce almost afreid. "What are you syaing? Are you braking up with me?"  
"I don't know. It's just that, if I don't love you, andyou don'y love me, then what's the point?" Harry put his hand in his pocket and stroked the small stone with his fingers. He coulod do this. He could. "Even if I date you for a long time, I don't think I'll love you. There are things I'm scared to tell you. Things that really don't even matter to anyone but me. I just couldn't tell you about them."   
"I know, Harry. I suppose there are things that I can't tell you either," she said. She turned away from him, looking at the empty cooridor. "I suppose this is the end."  
"I suppose so." Mandy turned around and extended her hand.  
"Good luck Harry Potter," she said. Harry took her hand.  
"Good luck Mandy Blocklehurst." They shock hands. Mandy leaned in to kiss him, but Harry shock his head. "No," he whispered. He took her hand and kissed it. "From now on we're just freinds." Harry let go of her hand and walked away.  
  
"I can't believe that you broke up," Hermione said while they were in the common room later that day. "You two were the perfect couple."  
"There's no such thing as a perfect couple," Harry said. Hermione shrugged.  
"I have to go talk with Terry. He said he had a surprise for me," she said. "I hope that Ron's detention isn't too horrible. I can't bel;ieve that he was fighting with Malfoy alone. Why didn't her tell us?"  
"Who knows. I just hope Snape doesn't murder him or anything. Well, don't keep Terry waiting," Harry said. Hermione smiled and left. "Why does love get to be so easy for her. It's not fair," Harry said as Hemrione left.  
"I know. But really, she won't be staying with hiom for long," said Gretchen as she took the shair next to his.  
"Why not?"   
"Becasue she really doesn't love Terry. She finds him intelectually stimulating, and kind, but she doesn't love him. Not really. Then you add in the fatc that someone loves her and boom, it's like and unstable valcano. Soon it will be forced to errupt," Gretchen explained.  
"Who loves her?"  
"Who do you think? Ron. I know he hasn't said anything, but you can tell. I mean, think about it. Ron sits by her everyday during meals, and he always volenteers to do perfetc stuff with her, even when she doesn't need help. And she never objects."  
"I sit by you during meals, and do things with you and you never stop me. Does that mean we love eachother?" Harry asked without thinking. Grtechen looked at him. She was clearly surprised by the question.  
"I suppsoe we know eachother too well to fall in love," she said.  
"So you felt nothing when we, you know, kissed?" he asked.  
"Of course I felt something. It was a magical kiss. It make me feel like I was waking on air in a...a peaceful place. But it wasn't real," she said. After a few seconds she added, "was it?"  
"I suppose not," Harry said. Gretchen looked at him. He looked at her. She looked worried, confused, helpless. Harry wanted to be her hero, to make her smile. "But it could be."  
"No, Harry. It's not real," she said forcefully. "Espiecally not now, when you've just broken up with Mandy. Whatever you seem to see, whatever you think yousee, it isn't real. It's just there becauser you're lonely."  
"I don't see anything," Harry lied. "I just thought you did."  
"Well I don't."  
"Then we have nothing to worry about," Harry said.  
"No we don't."  
  
Harry woke up early one morning during Christmas brake. His scare hurt. He was safe in Ron's room, yet he knew that something was wrong. "Ron, wake up," he said. The red head rolled over.  
"Go back to sleep," he said.  
"I'm serious. Something's wronge."  
"Go to sleep." Harry roled his eyes and clkimbed out of bed, instinctivily headed towards Ginny's room.   
"Don't bother going in there, Harry. I already woke up," Gretchen said. She was standing on the stairs, waiting for him. "My mother was loud this morning."  
"I see," Harry said. "Do you know hwat happened?"  
"No. Do you?"  
"No."  
"Should we wake Mrs.Weasley?" Gretchen asked. Harry shock his head.  
"I don't think she would understand," Harry said. "I've never felt like this before. Something horrible happened,. but I don't know what. All I know is that it's....horrible."  
Gretchen swolled. "I think...I think someone died, Harry. I think Voldemort killed someone."  
"But who?" Harry asked. Gretchen looked at the floor.  
"Let's go down stairs, Harry. It's not as early as we think it is. Mrs.Weasley could be cooking now." Harry nodded and they started down the stairs. Mrs.Weasley was indeed cooking when they got to the kitchen. She smiled at them and gave them some eggs before going upstairs to wake the others. Before long everyone was down stairs. Everyone seemed unbaribily cheery. Couldn't they tell that something was wronge? That something was horribly wronge?  
There was a knock at the door. "Nigel," Arthur Weasley said as he let a tall, balding man into their home. "What are you doing here? Everyone, this is Nigel Beetleman, from the department of invstication in teh ministry of magic. Nigel, what are you doing here?"  
"I'm sorry, Arthur. Voldemort struck agien last night. At the apartments near diagon ally. Twelve poeple were killed. Oh, I'm sorry, Arthur, but Percy and Penelope are dead." 


	5. Chapter 5

A/n: I'm not going to appalogize for not poting in a while. I got one review for the last two stories I posted (I appalogize to that person, because I posted HPYD4 twice and I accidently deleted the copy that you reveiwed). I was very disappionted and very angry and I seriously considered never finishing this story and taking all my other storied off ff.n, luckily for those who like this series, I decided not to. I'm going to finish Harry Potter and the yeat of Darkness, however, I my not write another series dealing with Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts like I initally intended to do. I suppose that I I recieve enough reviews (hihn hint) I may chnage my mind, but of I don't then there will only be three more parst to this story and then it will be done. Maybe I'll start writing plotless stad alones. I'm posting part six right after this. please read both and please review both.-Kate Marie  
  


**Harry Potter and the Year of Darkness**  


**Part Five: Leaving Yourself Behind**  
  
Harry spent the rest of the day trying to comfert Ron and Hermione, who, in his opinion, were more effected by the death of Percy then he was, which made it his resonsibility to be responsible. Gretchen helped too. She did all the cooking and cleaning that day, including the laundry of eleven people. By the end of the day they were both exhausted.   
"My feet hurt," Gretchen complained as she plopped down on the coutch in the Weasley's sitting room were Harry was finishing his school homework before bed.  
"You didn't have to do the laundry," Harry muttered.  
"I know. But Mrs.Weasley was just sitting in here all day crying, I couldn't ask her to, so I just did," Gretchen responded. "How are you doing, Harry?"  
"Fine," he said quickly.  
"No your not. You knew Percy, too." Harry put his books down and looked at Grtechen.  
"I never really liked him much," Harry said, suddenly feeling guilty. "He was always so uptight....." Gretchen put her arm around Harry's shoulders. "I kinda feel bed about not respecting him. I never really listened to him when he was a perfect, and now..." Gretchen pulled Harry into a tight embrace. Harry felt odd. He wasn't use to being hugged. Mrs.Weasley had hugged him once, but this was different some how.   
Harry had the sudden urge to tell Grtechen he loved her. To tell her that life was too short and they should spent whatever time they had together, but he didn't want her to let go of him. He could feel hot tears falling from his cheaks and burning his fragile flesh. He didn't want Gretchne to let go of him, ever. He flung his arms around her. He wouldn't let go.  
"Bleeding-The crimson liquid surround my being-The blood of the innocent-The blood of my soul-It stabs me in it's red glory-Choking me for love-I bleed-Bleeding-From this wound in my heart," she whispered.   
"Did Kate write that?" Harry asked.  
"No," Gretchen responded. "I did." Surprised, Harry pulled away, just so that he could see her eyes. His arms were still around her.  
"You? When? Why?" Harry asked. "That's such a sad poem."  
"I wrote it when Neville died," Gretchen said. "That's how I get stuff out, I guess. I mean, Iussually don't want people to know when I'm scared. It makes me feel vulnerible. So I just pretend nothings wrong. When I'm alone, I write about it."  
"You never seem to be afreid of telling me when you're scared," Harry observed.  
Gretchen shrugged. "I just know that you won't hurt me, I guess," she said. Harry nearly blushed. He felt....honored. Proud, that she considered him trustworthy. He want to tell her this but all he could do was nod.  
"I turst you, too." Gretchen smiled a bit. It wasn't a happy smile, but it wasn't a strained smile. It was real. Harry thought about kissing her. It would be so easy, and no one would know, because they were all in bed. He was going to do it. He would. He just needed to count to three. One....Two.....  
Gretchen stood up, shattering what was left of their embrace and yawned. "I think 'm going to bed," she decided.  
"Yes, that sounds good," Harry agreed. The two started climbing the stairs, Harry heading for Ron's room, Gretchen for Ginny's. "Good night," he said as Gretchen reached her destination.  
"Night, Harry."  
  
The next few week at school just weren't the same. Ron was different now. He wouldn't talk the way he use to. People at school were different, too. None of them were used to being scared like that. The Gryffindors espiecally were changed, for it was a Gryffindor's brother who was dead.   
Only school itslef seemed the same. The lessons, the homework, the Quiddich practice. All of those things still happened. Even though, sometimes, while he was doing all these things, Harry felt a sudden emptiness. He didn't know why he felt this way. His brother hadn't died. But still, his life was different now.  
Harry sat in the middle of an advanced transfiguration lesson. Today they were going to use a Transmophelous Potion to help them transform into animagi for the first time. "Remeber, this won't work for everyone," Professor McGonagall warned, "only those who are sure and ready can make the change." She started handing out flasks filled with dazzeling blue potion.   
Harry looked at his for a moment. He was starting to feel empty agien. Why does this keep happening? he wondered as he started to gulp down the potion. Harry felt and tingeling sensationin his arms and legs. He felt as if his toes were becoming thinner and sharper and merging together. He could feel himslef grow small. He had little neck, and almost no legs. He moved his arms to reach a mirrior that was sitting on the table, but found that hedidn't have fingers.......He had feathers!   
Harry flapped over to the small mirror. He was an eagel. A golden eagel, if he had his speices right. He was covered with brown plumage. His beak was gray and short. His claws were sharp. He felt powerful.  
Suddenly, Harry felt like he was walking on air. He heard a faint pop and he was human agien. Harry thought of his father. Would he be proud of Harry now? He had been an Animagius. James Potter had taken the shift of a stag. So why wasn't Harry a stag? Should he not have a aquired the same shift as his father?  
A bird flapped towards Harry, it's long neck fully extended in flight. It had some of the oddest markings Harry had ever seen. For the most part, the bird was white. It's haed was covered in the characteristic black feathers with white around the eyes. Extending all the way to it's back to the tip of it's tail feathers was a stripe of black feathers. There were five more black feathers in the shapr of a star were the human's left hip would be. These markings, for some reason, seemed oddly fimiliur to Harry, though he said nothing.   
The bird landed on the seat bext to Harry's. With a small pop it turned back into a girl. "It's the neat Harry," she said, "I'm a crane! Perhaps we can fly together sometime!"  
"Maybe, Gretchen," Harry said, half-heartedly.  
"Oh, look, Hermione's just drank her potion. I wonder what she's gonna be?" Harry looked over at his freind Hermione, who was now a bown owl with frizzy feathers in the place of her hair. She flied over towards them and then poped back to normal.  
"I shift into a hairless animal and it's still bushy," she muttered threw the grin on her face. She put a hand threw her hair. The way the light hit her face, Hermione was beautiful. "I can't believe we're all birds. We'll have to go flying together. Though, I really wish Ron were here. He's the only one of us who won't be an animagius."  
"He can always start next year," Gretchen said lazily. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
"We're talking about Ron," she said. "He'd never, ever do that." Gretchen shrugged and left the table. Hermione rerolled her eyes. "If Hogwarts ever has a debate tean, remind her not to join."  
"Why?" Harry asked.  
"Gretchen never, ever, defends her beliefs. She shrugs and walks away everytime, like she's somehow above us all and doesn't need to tell us anything that she think with her superior mind," Hermione answered.  
"What if she simply does't want to fight with you?" Harry asked.   
"Doubtful." With that Hermione left. Harry followed her. They walked threw the hall way in silence, scaring a black and silver cat along the way.   
"Bad news," said Ron as soon as they entered the commen room. "Fred and George are bank rupt. They can;'r afford to keep the shop open."  
"Oh, that's horrible!" Hermioen exclaimed. "What are they going to do?"  
"Well, Fred's got a job working at the Leaky Culdron. George is getting and job at the quiddich store. Meanwhile, they're living with my parents," Ron said. "Not that that's anything new."  
Harry told ROn how sorry he felt, though he really didn't feel anything at all. He was detatched, different, from his schoolmates. Completely different. He couldn't help not talking to them much the rest of the day, or going to bed early that night.   
Harry lay awake for a little while, staring at the curtiens that covered his four-post bed. They weren't very interesting, but they were something to look at. The longer he stared at them, the closer they seemed to be. Suddenly, Harry didn't want to look at them anymore. He turned over and saw himself underneath him.  
  
"You had an O.B.E.," Gretchen said as she walked down the him trew the halls.  
"A what?" Harry asked.  
"An Out of Body Experience," Gretchen said. "You could ask Professor Wington about itif you wanted. I think he would call it astral projection."   
"How do you know that that's what happened to me?" Harry asked.  
"Well, you said that there was a silver cord conecting you to your body, one. You said hat you saw balls of white light all around you, two. And you said that you felt as if time was nonexisent, three."  
"Have you ever had an O.B.E. before?" Harry asked her.  
"No," she said quickly. "I....I suppose that I've read about them though."  
"Oh," Harry said. He was feeling more empty then ever. Just a few days ago he would have been loving this moment. All alone with Gretchen. Now, she was just someone who he was walking with. She wasn't speical anymore. "Why is this happening?"  
"I don't know," she said. "Ussually this sort of thing happens after long periods of training." The, in a lower voice she added. "They say that when a persn has been through a difficult time When a person just wants to escape their life for a while."  
"Is there something about you that I don't know?" Harry asked.  
"There are a million things about me that you don't know," Gretchen said. She sighed. "We don't have transfiguration today. Professor McGonagall's sick."  
"Yeah, I heard. That has to be some sort of record for her. Three sickdays in two weeks," Ron said from behind them as he and Hermione ran up to them. Gretchen suddenly smiled.  
"You were making out, weren't you?" Hermione's jaw dropped, as did Ron's. "It's your hair. Come on, Hermione. We can fix your hair in no time. But we'd better hurry before our favorite Slytherin sees." Teh two girls went off, giggeling like first years on the Hogwarts Express.  
Ron turned to Harry. "Hermione's braking up with Terry for me," he said. Harry nodded. Ron smiled. "I never knew I liked her," he said, "but I think I loved her all along."  
  



	6. Chapter Six

a/n: for those of you who have skipped part five and are just reading part six, shame on you. I'm going to tell you agien how disappointed I was becasue of lack of reveiws. Shame on all of you who didn't reveiw. Please reveiw this time, or I won't be writing a story about Harry's seventh year. And, on top of that, I'll give you a nice juicy clif hanger at the end of this series. So please, feel free to read and reveiw and tell me to write the last series when this one is over.-Kate Marie  
  


**Harry Potter and the year of Darkness**  


Part six: Alone in the Darkness  
  
The world refused to come back to Harry. Oh, it was easy enought to full everyone, to make them think he was okey, but he wasn't. He was having O.B.E.s each night, assending higher all the time. It was not long before he could reach a world of pure color, light, and emmotion. A world were he was simply a dake spot on a rainbow. He longed to go higher, to a place were people only thought, but they didn't have to feel.  
Voldemort was still at large. Five people have been killed since chrismas holidays. In that school year alone, Voldemort had killed twenty-five people. Harry almost shivered when he thought of that. Almost. He suddenly understood why everone was so scared of voldemort. Twenty-five people were dead. And the school year wasn't even over yet. There was still one week left.  
As ussual for that time of year, the library wa steh place to be. Even Draco Malfoy had been seen studying. It was a miricle (really it was), though Harry doubted it would help his grades. Maybe, if he was lucky, the slytherin would fail completely and Harry would never see him agien. Maybe.........  
Harry was reading a his transfiguration book in an arm chair by the fire. It was pretty earlt in the day, but still, Harry felt tired. He didn't really want to go to sleep. He had woken up with a taste in his mouth like peper. Harry bagn to dose off....  
  
"My darling, my sweet dareling. Here you are my dareling. See? The Perfectulous Potion was useful," a robed and masked figure said. Another robed figure standing near if nodded.  
"Not really," a small figure spatt. "Thye haven't even noiticed that I'm gone yet, mother. We don't have any classes till after lunch today. And even then, people aren't as dumb as they were last year. No one will come top rescue me this time, mother."   
A cruel laugh came form the cloaked figure. "Don't worry, Gretchen, my dareling. No one needs to come a save you this time. No....I love you my dareling," the cloaked figure said as she reached into the pockets of her robes, "this is for the best......"  
  
Harry awoke. Gretchen, the thought quickly through the pain in his scare, gone. Then another thought. Why don't I care?  
"Tired Harry?" Gretchen asked as she walked up to him. Harry almost gasped, but was able to choke it back. This was impossible. He had just seen Gretchen in one of his Voldemort dreams. She had to be.........  
He had't felt anything when he saw it. It made sense. He felt nothing, and nothing happened. Gretchen was fine. But was he?   
"So, are you ready for the tests?" Harry said casually. Gretchen shrugged.   
"I suppose. Have you seen Ronald Weasly?" she asked.  
"Yeah," Harry said. "Ron's with Hemrione in the library. Why?" Gretchen shrugged. Then she turned around and left.   
"Hi, Harry!" said Hemrione as she entered the room. "Have you seen, Gretchen?"  
"She just went to go see Ron," Harry said.   
"Oh," Hermione said. "Well, come on, Harry. Let's go!" With that Hemrione seiced Harry's hand and drahgged him out of the commen room towards the library.   
"Ahhh......" A muffeled sound came from the wall next to them. Harry looked and saw the witch who hid the path to Hogsmeded next to them. Hemrione rolled her eyes.  
"Funny, Myrtle," she said. Agien their was a groan, almost a word.   
"'Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr," it said. Hermione rolled her eyes agien. She and Harry walked on.   
"Out of alllll things to do! You'd think she would just leave people alone now that  
she has Neville as her boy toy," Hermioen said agrily. "But no she still has to.....Ahh!"  
Harry and Hemrione were falling. "Potter! Granger!" someone shouted, but Harry barely heard. He was falling...falling....falling......  
  
"Harry," someone said. "Harry, wake up." Harry fluttered his eyes open. Ron and Hermione were kneeling over him. "He's awake," Ron said over his shoulder to a forth person in the room. The red head then turned his attention back to Harry. "You fell threw the ceiling, or the floor, or something," he explained as he helped Harry sit up. "Gretchen an I were already here when you and Hermione fell. We're all fine, but you hit your head."  
"Do you why we're here?" Harry said as he looked aroudn the room. It was so fimiliur. The stone hall he realized as he looked around at the brightly colored fires that came form torches on the wall.  
"No idea," Hermione said. Harry climbed to his feet and looked around. Gretchen was standing underneath the Gryffindor torch, muttering something so quietly that Harry culdn't understand a word of what she was saying.  
"Looking for a way out?" he asked. She turned around suddenly, as if surprised by his presence. She studies him closely, fear and anger in her eyes. She took a deep breath.  
"Yes," she said sharply, "but it seems that there is no way out to be found." Harry shock his head. There had to be some way out, or at least a way of discovering why they were there. "I'm serious, Harry," she said, "there's no door."  
"Of course there isn't. This is the stone hall," Harry said. "The walls open up. If only we knew how to make them do that......."  
"The point is, Harry, that we don't know how to make them do that," Grtechen said stiffly. "If we did we'd be out of here by now." She walked away from his and stood by the Slytherin torch were she started muttering to herself agien.   
"What's up with her?" Ron wondered aloud. He started looking at the gryffindor toarch. He kicked the wall a few times. Nothing happened. He yelled at it. "Open up," he commanded. And still nothing happened, to the Gryffindor toarch. The Slytherin toarch, however, seemed to suddenly become alive. It swong aside revealing a black key. Gretchen took it in her hands and fingered it ligthly. THen she walked up to the stone in the middle of the room and placed the key on top of it. "Let his door be open," she said loudly.   
The room began to shake. Gretchen held out her hand, and slowly, it bagn to change. It grew larger, as all her body did, and the skin became older. Her hair became shorter and her eyes chnagered color. Her every feature became harsh and cruel an ddevious. In fact, she wasn't Gretchen Locus at all, she was her mother, Winetta.   
A hand covered in a black glove grabbed Winetta's. She helped the hands owners climb up from a sudden pit that had formed in the room.   
Lord Voldemort was at Hogwarts.  
Suddenly, Harry could feel agien.  
He felt Fear.  
Behind him, Harry could hear Hermione scream. Voldemort laughed. Harry felt like someone was sticking needles in his head because of it. He longed to do something. To curse Voldemort. To fight somehow. To make the man pay for ever pain that he's ever caused. Harry serched his robe for his wand, but it was gone. Voldemort had it in his evil hand.   
"Alas, Harry Potter. We meet agien," he said.  
"Where's Gretchen," harry shouted. "What have you done with her." Winetta smiled.   
"That distraction has been delt with," she said smiling. "But please, don't call her Gretchen. Call her number twebty-six." Ron gasped and Hemrione started ti cry. Harry did nothing. He didn't even breath. How could she be dead? He would have known if she died, he just knew it!   
Harry Potter knew that he was connected to Gretchen Locus in some weird way, though he had no idea how. He tried, though he wasn't sure how, to look for her with his mind. Or, maybe, something beyoung his mind. He tried to touch her, to here her thoughts. All he could feel was something of a mentle hurricane as opposed to the nirvana (Buddhist word for a state of perfect understanding, no I'm not Buddhist, we're just studying that stuff in school) he expected. He tried to stop all these thoughts and feelings from moving so quickly. And suddenly......He had felt something. How could she be ded? He had felt soemthing.......  
"You killed her," Harry said finilly. Voldemort and Winetta laughed.  
"Oh, she's good as dead," Winetta the deatheater said iceilly. "We left her to die in a place no body knows about. Though, Harry, I believe you know what I'm talking about. We left her in a passageway. Right behind a one eyed witch. That's what we used to get in here ourselves, you know."   
Harry lunged. He knocked Winetta down and started hitting her. Voldemort grabbed his wand and threw Harry across the room. He hit the wall with a loud smack and found that he was being tied of with chains coming from the Slytherin toarch.   
The prince and peincess of evil laughed. Winetta licked the blood of her lip. Voldemort clapped. "That was, by far, and interesting stunt, Harry. By far. I'm sure Gretchen would have found it terribily amusing. Don't you agree, Ron? Hermione?"  
Harry looked over at his two remaining best freinds. What on earth did Voldemort want to do with them? "Leave them alone," he managed to shout. The two laughed agien. More deatheaters climbed out of the floor, each of them joining in the laughter. One of them grabbed Hermione, covering her mouth with his hand to keep her from screaming. Another grabbed Ron. Harry's best freind kicked and struggeled, but to no avial. Still more deatheaters came. The last two Harry knew: Lusius Malfoy and Wormtail. They were carring a brown rug.  
"Ah," said Voldemort. "I see you've brought Potter my gift. Come, Harry. Come and see what I have for you." The ropes that bpund Harry to the wall retreated. Harry fell to the ground. He stood up and dusted himself off. His back hurt from hitting the wall and his scar burned in Voldemort's presence. Still, he took a step forward, and then another step, till he stood over the drown rug. Every eye was upon him. Immeadiately, Harry knew what the rug would hold, and he knew that he did want to see. But somehow, he couldn't stop himself from kneeling down before the rug. Or lifting the material, to see what treasure it held..............  
It indeed did hold a treasure. A beautiful treasure that Harry had loved so much for long. A treasure that had been stolen. A treasure that had lost it's glow. Beneath the blanket was a tre sure, the beautiful, naked body of beaten and battered Gretchen Locus. The body that was now dead.  
Harry could feel his hands tremble as he slowly placed one upon her neck. It was true. Gretchen was dead. He had known when suddenly he had heard nothing and felt everything. He had known. But still, he refused to believe it. Harry took his free hand a stroked her cheek. He scanned her with his eyes. He had once fantised about seeing her nude. She was just as beautiful as he ever thought she would be. Harry noiticed an odd mark on her left hip that resembeled a scar, and Harry suddenly wondered why it was there, though he really didn't care. He bent doen every so gentlely and placed one last kiss upon her lips.   
Nothing happened when their lips met. Instead of being taken to a peaceful place, Harry was more aware then ever of how horrible everything was. There was nothing left of the beautiful girl he loved. Nothing. The glow that she had, her light in this darkness, had been put out. Harry was in darkness now, but he was alone. Alone in the darkness. Without Gretchen.  
Harry raised his head and looked at her one last time, before recovering her form with the blanket. Then he turned to Voldemort. "She's not dead," he said suddenly. He remebered Dumbledore's words from his third year. "Those who are gone never truely leave us. You will never be able to kill Grtechen Locus. You'll never be able to kill my parents. You'll never be able to kill anyone," Harry said calmly.  
A child's voice was heard in the room. "He's right."  



	7. Chapter 7

a/n: Thank you for all the reveiws! I think I recieved six, which is pretty good for me (sadly enough. some people get into the teens in a few hours!). Anyway, thank you. I'm going to write a follow up series to this one (the last in my saga ::tear tear::). It's going to be called _Harry Potter and the River of Nirvana_. As I said, Nirvana is the a state of perfect understanding. It's first part will be out soon. I have a wonderful four day weekend so I'll probebly write alot friday. Enjoy!  
  


**Harry Potter and the Year of Darkness  
**

  
**Part Seven: Finding the Light within the Smoke**  
  
Everyone turned to look at the Gryffindor toarch. Two shapes stood there. One was of a fifteen eyar old girl, the other a ten year old boy. Both were misted, as if they were ghosts, but Harry knew they were not. "Wendoyln," Winetta muttered.  
Harry studied the figures closely. One looked like the picture he had seen of  
Gretchen's mother in her fifth year, but with longer, shoulder legnth, hair. The other was a boy with blue eyes, just like hers, and corse, brown hair. "Wade," Gretchen's mother  
whispered. "You're..you're....."  
"Dead," the girl, Wendolyn, said. "Oh, but we were never dead, Winetta. Never."  
"What's going on!" Voldemort demanded. He didn't plan this, Harry realised.  
Harry looked at these ghosts. He was greathful to them. They bought him time. Time to  
think of something he could do.   
"They're dead," Winetta said. "They died before my fifth year. My little  
brother....my sister......." Gretchen's mother had suddenly become the weak link in a chain  
of all powerful deatheaters. She was different. She looked a million yeras older, and yet  
she sounded a million years younger, like an innocent child. Slowly, Harry backed away  
from her, towards Ron. He had to set his freinds free.  
"Winetta, my beautiful, Winetta," the girl ghost said. "What happened when I left  
you? I never wanted this to happen to you. I never wanted you to die. And now look at  
what you've done. You've killed the only living person who still loved you. You're  
daughter's gone, Winetta, and it's all your fault."  
In front of him, Harry could see tear coming from the deatheater's eyes. Behind  
him, Harry knew a dazed gaurd was holding Ron, another hold Hermione. Slowly, Harry  
backed into the wall.  
The ghost boy pointed at Voldemort. "Murder," it said. "He killed us Winetta. Why  
do you love him so?" Winetta turned to Voldemort, hatred in her eyes. Harry knew that it  
had to be now.  
"Now," he whispered to himslef. He grabbed two peices of rope that had been  
holding him to the wall and flung them around the necks of the deatheateres who were  
holding Ron and Hermione. A few detaheaters ran towards him, but he hid behind the very  
men they were trying to save. Ron and Hemrione were dropped to the ground. Harry let go  
and ran.   
The room wasn't very big. Harry didn't go far before he was left with no where to  
go. Ron, Hemrione, and Harry turned around only to see that no one had followed them,  
so one at all. All the deatheaters were in a circle around Gretchen and her mother. Winetta  
Locus was kneeling next to her dead daughter, tears in her eyes, muttering soemthing. The  
deatheaters seemed to be trying to curse her, as if she was doing something wronge, but the  
ghsots of the two children where protecting her, and nothing happened.   
Harry watched in fasination as Ron and Hemrione tried to find a way out. Winetta  
had a small pocket knife and was drawing a star on her rigth palm with it. She kept  
muttering to herself, as if she was doing a spell. Harry realized that she was.   
Winetta screamed and dropped to the ground. Then Harry heared something else  
drop. Then something else. Harry looked up. "The professors," he shouted, "they're hear  
to rescue us." And they were. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape and fallen into the  
dungen, wands in hand, and others were making their way down. Suddenly the Stone hall  
became a frenzy of spells. Soemthing exploded and smoke filled the room. Harry could  
barely see. All his though swireled together like a tornado. Thoughts. They weren't his  
thoughts.  
Harry braved his was forward, into the smoke. There was screaming around him.  
The room smelt of blood. Still, he knew he had to go on. He just.....knew. A tornado of  
thought drew him towards it. He followed.  
"Gretchen," he called out threw the smoke.  
"Oh, my," he heard Hermione whisper, "he...he must be in shock, thinking she still  
alive. Ron, we have to follow him!"  
"But we'll die," he said. Harry didn't want to listien anymore. He was in the center  
of the room. He felt for the brown blanket. He took it off Gretchen's face. Barely being  
able to see her, he lifted her up closer to him. Through the haze, Harry saw her eyes flicker  
open, though he didn't understand how she could manage that, or even how she could  
manage to be alive. He didn't care, either. She was here. Here was all that mattered. Now  
was all that mattered. He had to do soemthing. Harry had to make everything stop. The  
fighting....the war.......  
Gretchen looked at Harry, an odd look in her eyes. Then she leaned up and kissed  
him.  
Harry couldn't hear what was going on beyond him. He couldn't see more then a  
bright white light. Distently, he could fell Grtechne's lips, but he could feel her living will  
more vividly. Her pure, raw power. And, for the first time, he could feel his own. He could  
feel this amazing thing swelling and and our of him, something he couldn't yet control, or  
understand, but something that was plainly there. Visible. Touchible. Tastible. Smellible.  
Harry reached towards it, feeling his own will, his own raw power, begin work. I have to  
stop this, he thought. This needs to stop.  
Harry and Grtechen pulled away from eachother. They were both on their feet,  
unlike before. There was a glowing iridesent orb in from of them, shining pure light. Yet,  
the fighting continued. Harry serched Gretchen's eyes. She looked at his then at the orb.  
She rasied a single finger, and, slowly, raised it to the orb, as if to touch it. Harry did the  
same. He touched it.  
Agien all Harry could see was light. Pure, white light. He couldn't feel anything.  
Then the light was gone and the world was black. Harry realized that he had closed his  
eyes. He opened them and looked around.  
It looked as if the world had stopped in mid-second. People still had their wands  
rasied, ready to attack. People were still lying on the ground, were they had once been  
injured and prepared to die, but now were healed. Eveyone was staring at the center of the  
room-at Harry and Gretchen. Harry looked at Gretchne too, for a moment, as she looked  
about the room. She was holding the brown rug around her, covering her perfect form.  
Her thoughts were clear now. Her body was fully alive. She turned towards him.  
Voldemort laughed.  
Still in shock, no one moved as Voldemort raised his wand. Not even Dumbledore,  
who was sitting agienst the wall. He was prepared to die, Harry realised. Voldemort  
laughed harder, as if some how he was able to hear Harry's thought, and his fear. Harry  
knew he was about to kill them. He knew. He couldn't let that happen.  
Harry tapped into his own power, using it as if it was soemthing he had been doing  
since birth. He took Gretchen's Hand and together they formed a small, red orb. They let it  
go.   
There was a looked of shock in Voldemort's eyes. He deflected the orb as Harry  
used his new found power to summon his wand and teh three wands of his freinds from  
Voldemort's hand. The wandds flew into Harry's hand. But the orb hit a deatheater's eye.  
Malfoy! It had hit Draco Malfoy's father.   
The deatheater doubled over in pain. The skin around his eyes seemed to be boubling with sores. The deatheaters started a mad run, all wanting to get as far away form the castle as possible. "Duck," Gretchen shouted as she pulled Harry down. They huddeled in a ball while the maddness surrounded them. They stayed down, down, down, until the running seised and there was silence. Only then did they move.  
Voldemort was gone. Not gone in the sense that he was dead, but somehow, whithin the maddness, he had left. Why? Harry didn't even want to know as he servied the scene. It was much as it had been a moment before, but now people were willing to move. Professor McGonaggall and Professor Morryson were hugging eachother. Hagrid, the biggest man in the Stone Hall, was helping Flitch to his feet while Chantel did the same with Professor Dumbeldore.   
Gretchen walked away from Harry and instead of looking at life around him, he  
followed her. She walked to the body of her mother, suddenly dropping to her knees. She  
didn't move. Harry put a hand on her shoulder. Gretchen put her own hand on his in an  
awkward possision. With her other hand, she reached out to her mother, moving very  
slowly.   
She stopped cold before her hand touched the dead flash, as if her mother's body  
was soemthing sacred. Something that you could get close to and admire, but not actually  
touch, for it was too fragile. And maybe, for her, in that moment, that's what her mother  
was. Harry didn't dare ask her. She rose to her feet and started to walk away, head bowed  
in respect. Harry put his arm around her. She suddenly callapsed into him, crying. The two  
sank to their knees. Harry brought Gretchen close to him, and she hid her head in his chest  
while he rested his chin on her shoulder and whipsered kind words to her.   
As Gretchen cried, Harry watched what was dirrectly in front of him. Snape was  
looking at the body, shaking his head. His skin was white and pale as the moon, his mouth  
hung open in disbelief as he silently worried that the fate of Winetta Locus, deatheater gone good, would one day be his own. Professor Sprout walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. They stood like that for a moment, unmoving. Then Snape turned his head to look at her and Profesor Sprout led them away. Still, Gretchen cried.  
Harry heard the waze of a wand near him. There was suddenly a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up. Albus Dumbledore was standing over him. He reached out his hand, for Gretchen first, and helped her to her feet. He handed her a black robe that he had made with his wand. He and Harry both turned away as she put it on. Gretchen was silent now. Every thing was silent. Too, silent.  
Dumbeldore arm around Harry's back, his other around Gretchens, as he led them  
to the near center of the now empty room. Fawks flew down. Dumbledore grabbed hold of  
his tail feathers, then Harry's hand. Harry put his arm around Gretchen and she threw hers  
around his waist. They flew up, up, up, until Harry could see a hall way. Fawks landed  
gracefully and everyone let go. Dumbledore walked towards professor McGonaggall.  
Harry suddenly noticed his surroundings. Ten feet on either side of him, professors and  
students who were in the Stone hall stood huddeled together. But after that the hall way  
was jammed with students. The entire school surrounded them.   
"Professor," Gretchen said as she rose to her feet. "Professor Dumbledore.  
You..you're not..not just going to leave her......"  
"No," Dumbledore said firmly. "But," he said quietly as he gestured to the jamed  
hall, "now is not the time." Gretchen nodded and wiped a tear from her eye.  
"Gretchen," Hermione said as she and Ron ran up to her. Harry found himself  
pulled into a tight embrace with Ron Hermione and Gretchen. "Oh, Gretchen I thought  
you were, I thought you were...."  
"I was, Hermione," Gretchen said softly. "But not now."  
"But there isn't any spell to awaken the dead" Ron said as the four seperated slightly. The students behind them heard. They gasped and began to mutter among themselves. "How?"  
"Somethings are deeper then spells. Deeper then death, I suppose," Gretchen said  
wistfully. "I suppose blood must be one of those things. Fueled by a mother's love."  
Gretchen took a deep breath. "I had always thought that she loved me. Hoped that she  
loved me. Paryed, even. But...I've never known before. Now I do. My mother loved me."  
"Yes," Harry said. "She loved you as much as my mother loved me."  
"My mother died for me," Gretchen whispered. "Your mother died for you." There  
was another dreadful silence where no one was sure exactly what to say, or what needed to  
be said. Then, Ron found the guts to speak.  
"Voldemort," he said, calling the man by his name for the very first time, and  
shuttering for it. "I mean, you-know-who, why did he leave?"  
"I don't know," Harry said. "All that I do know is that I'd hate to be a deatheater  
right now." Evenyone laughed forcefully. Harry looked at his wizards watch, which he could  
now read, thanks to Ron. "Well," he said loudly, "It's only twelve in the afternoon. I  
suppose it's time for lunch."  
"To the Great Hall," announced Dumbledore. Everyone relucently left, everyone  
save for the professors, Harry, Hemrione, Ron, and Gretchen. They waited till everyone  
else was far from sight or ear.   
"What happened?" Professor Sprout said. "What happened down there? I had a  
gash in my side so large that-That!-it was making me dizzy and I couldn't see. Then all of  
the sudden.......Dumbledore, what happened?"  
"I don't know," he said. "Light came from the center of the room, right were the  
two children were standing, and it passed by, healing everyone instently. I suppose that shocked everyone enough to end the fight, temporarily. But nevermind what has happened. Instead, consentrate on what will happen. We must never let this happen agien. So, we must ask ourseleves, how did they get in?"  
"The path to Hogesmede behind the witch on the third floor," Hermione blurted.  
"He told us before you came."  
"So we'll have to block that path off, when we find it," said Professor Morryson.  
He still had one arm over Professor McGonaggall's shoulders.   
"Severus, Flora, search for any path ways in the school. You know what to do. Flitch, you go with them I'm sure you already know where some of these are," Dumbledore announced. The three left quickly. "Hagrid, Vector, Chantel, Treweleny, and Zachary, please go supervise the students. I dearsay, we've left them alone far too long."   
"Ay, Professor," Hagrid said. He turned around, dragging the others with him, and  
ran for the great hall. "I want Minerva to come with me," Madam Pomfrey said. "She should not have been fighting in her condition."  
"I'm fine....."  
"You may feel fine, but you are four months in, and you need to be careful," Madam Pomfrey said. "You have mor ethen your life to worry about now. You have to worry about your child's too!" McGonaggall rolled her eyes.  
"Well, I have to look after these children right now," she said gesturing to Harry and the others. Harry took a step towards Gretchen and grabbed he hand, suddenlt unsure.  
"They are all in my house."   
"Minerva seems to be in good heath, Poppy, and I doubt it will worsen in an hours  
time," Dumbledore said. "If you would like you can go to the hospital wing and wait for  
her. Or, you can escort Professor Morryson to lunch." Madam Pomfrey stuck her nose up  
in the air and headed for the Great hall. Had she been her ussual stubern self, she would  
have gone to the infermery, but, after what happened, no one at all really wanted to be  
alone.   
"Do I have to leave?" Professor Morryson asked. Dumbledroe nodded. Magnus  
Morryson sighed, kissed McGonaggall on the cheak and headed for the Great Hall.  
Dumbledore waited for his foot steps to die down before he spoke.  
"Why did this all begin?" he asked.  
"A long time ago," Gretchen said. "But I suppose last night would be a good enough  
answer for now."  
"What happened last night?"  
"My mother, she had used the Perfectulous Potion on me, and they had it on Harry, too, but I think the deatheater who gave it to him is dead. Anyway, they were waiting outside Hogwarts. My mother, she used the potion's influence to make me come to them threw a path that lead to Hogsmede. Peter Petigrew told them about it."  
"Peter Pettigrew! Dumbledore-he's dead!" McGonagall said.   
"I'll explain later, Minerva. Please continue."  
"Well," Gretchen said, "I arrived. They thanked me for testing their path for them,  
and began marching into Hogwarts and began setting up their spells and such by night. My  
mother....she, she tried to kill me. She hurt me, pretty bad. I couldn't think. She took a bit  
of my hair and pretended to be me. Then I passed out."  
"We met Gretchen's mum when she was pretending to be Gretchen," Harry said.  
"She asked me were Ron was this morning, about an hour and a half ago. She left and then  
Hermione came in, saying that she needed to see her. We went to get her in the library  
when we fell somehow....."   
Harry narrated the rest of their short adventure. He explained how Voldemort had  
come and tied them up. He told them how Gretchen had been dead before Gretchen went  
on to give a short desciption on what it was like to "be" dead. He told them how he had  
shouted and then spirits appeared. How they had seemed to change Winetta's mind about  
things. He explained everything that happened before the teachers showed up.  
"Well," Dumbledore said. "That leaved us with three questions. How did Gretchen.. ...survive? How were you two able to create that orb? And, what will Voldemort do next?"  
"I can answer two out of three," Gretchen said quietly. "It was the blood bind. Me  
and my mother shared the same blood, but mine was dead and hers was living. She took  
some of hers and put it into mine, and they took some of mine and put it into hers. The life  
and death.....we just switched I guess. I'm not sure how. She gave up her life for me."  
Gretchen wiped a few silent tears from her eyes with one hand, the other was still holding  
Harry's.  
"About the Orb," Gretchen said. "It was amazing. I just knew I could do something  
and I did."  
"Exactly," Harry said. "It was like something that was always there. Something I  
had been using forever. I just knew what needed to be done and I did it." Dumbledore  
looked at them, pircing them with his blue eyes.   
"Could you do it now?" he asked. Harry and Gretchen glanced at eachother.  
"No," they said together.  
"What is it?" Harry asked. "What makes us so different?" Dumbledore sighed.  
"I thought I knew," he said. "Now, I'm sure that I have no idea. You'll have to discover what this is on your own. In the mean time, try to use this more consciously. Try using it in times that are not an emergency. Experiment. See how it works.  
"It won't take Voldemort long to realise that we have no idea what these powers  
are," he continued. "Tonight may have givin him doubts, and it may have caused him to  
put off other plans for a while, but it did not stop him. He will be back. Soon." Dumbledore turned around and left. Harry asumed he was heading for him office. McGonaggal left for the Great Hall. Ron and Hemrione headed for their commen room, Gretchen and Harry didn't move at all. They just waited for everything else to go away.  
"You kissed me," Harry said finilly.  
"I had to," Gretchen said.  
"Why?"   
"Because, I knew what I had to do, and I didn't know if I could. But I knew that if  
I couldn't, I'd never have a chance to talk to you agien, to look at you agien. I....I couldn't  
die without saying goodbye to you," Gretchen said. Then, more softky, "I couldn't die not  
having you know that I love you."  
"You love me?" Harry said. Gretchen turned away.   
"I knew you wouldn't love me back. That's why I forced nyself to forget about it  
the first time we kissed. I made sure that we were never alone together so that I wouldn't  
do anything stupid like I did at the Weasley's house." Gretchen sighed. "I should go," she  
said as she started walking away. Harry refused to let go of her hand. She looked at him.  
"I love you," he said. "I really love you. I was up half that night trying to convince  
myself I didn't love you when we kissed, and I ended up doing the opposite. I wanted to  
kiss you so bad. I has going to, too. I was almost ready, then you left. Well, after that  
things were different. I guess I just stopped caring about things for a while."  
Gretchen smiled. Harry hadn't expected anyone to smile, not today, but he found  
he was smiling, too. "So, what now?" she asked. Harry leaned forward and kissed her.  
  
Much to everyone's dismay finil exams were still held. Except for Hemrione's that  
is, for she loved tests. Harry would have rather spent his time doing other things then  
studing, but after he saw his marks, he was satisfied.  
He was eevn more satisfied, however, when he walked into the Great Hall for the  
end of the year feast. He had made it. He had made it all the way through six years of  
school. On one hand, he was quite proud of himself. It seemed taht every year something  
had happened to make him doubt he would ever make it. One the otehr hand, he only had  
one more year. Then he would leave Hogwarts. Leave Dumbledore, and McGonagall, and  
all his other teachers, and his fourpost bed, his home, and be forced to start a new life. And  
get a job. After a year of thinking, Harry still had no clue as to what he wanted to be.   
"The end"-Dumbledore said as he rose at the feast-, "of another year. Hopefully,  
you've all learned a bit. Maybe even a little more then that. And, hopefully, you have  
yearned more then what we have tought you. Hopefully, you have learned from eachother,  
and from the events around you.  
"For the first time ever this year, we have had a brake in at Hogwarts. I have  
thought long and hard about this and have coem to the conclusion that you have no idea  
what to do if that happenes agien. There for, we will have soemthing new for you to learn  
next year.   
"Now, even though I may seem to be a bit humerous this is not funny. Voldemort  
has never dared to come to Hogwarts before, and I dount he will agien, but he could. We  
must never think that we are invisible, for we are not. We are simply human. However, if  
we stay together, for the commen cause, we can become so much more then that. We can  
be the difference that makes the difference. We can change the world, in all litericy. All we  
need, is a speck of courage to have, a morse of trust to give, and a bit of hope."  
Harry was silent after Dumbledore's speach. Hope. That was soemthing he ahd  
nearly lost this year. Soemthing he almsot lost so completely that he couldn't feel anymore.  
But now, he could. He had hoep agien. He had his two best freinds, Ron and Hermioen,  
who would always be there for him. And Gretchen, who would always stick with him. Harry  
wished desperately thst he could make life easier for her after what had happened. "I never  
thought I'd miss my mother," she said at the feast when Harry asked her about her mother.  
Her voice was a bit far away, but she was clear when she spoke. "But at least she was trying to be a good person when she died. She hasn't been good for a long time. She is now though. And she died good so she'll be good forever. Next time I see her, she'll love me."  
"Those spirits?" Harry asked,. "Who were they?"  
"The girl was named Wendolyn. She was my mum's twin sister. The boy was Wade, her little brother. They died the summer befor her fifth year," Gretchen said.   
"Wade said that Voldemort killed them."  
"I wouldn't know," Gretchen said. "All I do know is that it would some how be..appropriate it that were the truth. When they died my mum shut herself off from the world, I guess. She stopped loving, cuz she was scared of losing. But she could hate. And Voldemort liked her to hate, so she went to him."  
"So your mum was never truely evil, then," said Harry.  
"Oh, she was." Harry looked puzzeled. "People all start going bad for a reason that's normal. It's when they forget that reason, ignore it, leave it alone, and forget it when they're evil. Then they just do bad for the spite of it. Then they're evil. My mum was like that for a long time."  
They talked on a bit more, but Harry nothing as memorible as those words were said. Harry had never bothered to ask why people were the way they were. He had never wondered why Voldemort was evil. Now he did. "Do you think Voldemort could be truned?" Harry asked out of the blue befor ethe feats was done.  
"No," Gretchen said quickly. Harry shrugged and kept on eating.  
"Were do you go over the summer?" Harry asked.  
"I guess I get to go to a foster family," she said. "That's what I did last time. I wish I didn't have to though. The Ministry of Magic tells them who my mother was before they take me in. I think that most people get a little freaked out when a deatheater's daughter comes to live in there house."  
"I suppose," said Harry.  
  
Harry and Gretchen cuddled close together on the train ride back to the muggle world. Harry detested the thought of not seeing Gretchen all summer. Espiecally when he would have no idea were she was until she was able to write him. He had just gotten together with her, he didn't want to leave her now.  
But as he walked off the train and put his things in the Dursley's car, he realized that he had to. That didn't change that fact that he didn't want to leave her. He wondered if she would be all right without him. Her mother had just died. It had to hurt. Harry knew that most of all. The death of his parents still hurt him, too.  
"Come on, boy," Uncle Vermon said as soon as Harry saw him. Harry waved good bye to Ron, Hermione, and Gretchen before following his misrible uncle. It was raining outside. Uncle Vermon made no move to share his unbrella with Harry, which meant that he would get soaked. Then when Harry got into the car Uncle Vermon would complain loudly. Harry rolled his eyes at the anticpated yelling.  
Surprisingly, Vermon Dursley was silent as Harry got into the car. He just eyed Harry coldly while he patted Dudely on the back. Harry climbe din just as quietly, not wanting to be yelled at in the first place. He was shutting the car door when somebody stopped him. He opened the door. "Gretchen," he said in a confused tone.  
"Harry," she said forcefully, "I want to come with you."  
  
  
*********And so this series has ended with my ussual clif hanger as opposed to an actual ending. Ha! Now, if you want be to continue you must reveiw. And Vote! Here's the issues....  
1)Does Gretchen manage to spend the summer with Harry?  
2)Should they be a destined couple, or should they fade apart and just be freinds?  
3)What about Ron and Hemerione? Do they have a future together?  
4)And what about Quiddich? It's cancelled as of now. Should it resume even after Voldemort has managed to get into the school or do they take a risk? And if there is no Quiddich, should there be something else instead?  
5)Lastly, what do you think Harry should be when he grows up? (I already what the answers to most of these questions are, but if you tell me what your opinions are, my plans may change).  
-Kate Marie  


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